A Good Librarian Is a Valuable Asset

photo by Mosman Library

I have a love/hate relationship with summer. I love the lack of a schedule. And I hate the lack of a schedule. I feel like we are all over the place. But I love the freedom to do whatever we feel like.

I am super grateful, though, to our local library and their summer reading program. Once a week we meet there and the kids go off to learn about one of the continents. They've already done Australia, Asia, and Europe. I'm not sure what is on the agenda for this week, but I guarantee it will be fun thanks to our super wonderful librarian.

Good librarians are a blessing. Really. We had one a few years ago, who cut the story time. She was not on my "happy" list. (Okay, maybe I'm just bitter because she yelled at me once when I forgot to turn off my cell.) We did not use our library much at all during that time. But after about a year and a half or so, she quit to go back to college and study Forensic Science or something like that.

And then God was good and sent us Brenda. (Insert los angelitos singing.)

Brenda is a former teacher. And she immediately reached out to the homeschool community here in town wanting to know what books we needed and how she can better serve us. She started up the story time again, and throws wonderful birthday parties for Dr. Seuss. Oh, and she allows us to have our 4-H club meetings there. We love her.

This summer her reading program is all about geography. Each child has drawn a different country and will have to give a short presentation at the end of the month. She was told participation in the summer reading program would be small. (I think she mostly expected our little homeschool group of about 15 kids to be the only ones involved.) But the first day, I had to drop my bags and quickly help sort folders and "passports" and all that kind of good stuff. She had 50+ kids sign up. And she loves them all.

Does your library offer any children's programs? Do they work with homeschoolers? Why or why not? Can you offer to volunteer for story time? Or maybe offer to come in once a month for bilingual story hour?

Does your library have a good librarian? If so, take time to tell her "thank you!" She - or he! - can be such a valuable addition to your child's academic life.

Con mucho cariño...