H is for...

HOMEWORK HELP!

There are many libraries with homework help programs or tutoring programs for students. Oftentimes these programs are offered by volunteers on a weekly or biweekly basis and are very popular.

At the Logan Heights Library we offer a hybrid e-tutoring/mentoring program through a partnership with UC San Diego. Students from UCSD connect with Logan Heights Library students online and in person. The program is available Tuesday through Saturday at the library and can also be accessed on Mondays and additional hours from home. Our e-tutoring program connects students from the community with UCSD students for homework assistance as well as mentoring. Computers, web cameras, headsets and writing tablets are available at the library to make the online tutoring experience more personal and easy to use. In addition to access to tutors online, there is also one UCSD students on-site everyday during the hours of the program to help students connect online and provide homework assistance in person. The goal of this program and our partnership is to expand from a traditional homework help program by using technology to connect young students to college students that can serve as mentors, answer any questions they may have about college, and provide guidance of what they need to do now in the lower grades to be accepted to a four year university. Through this partnership we have also been able to offer open house events at the library with information about our tutoring program as well as informational booths from UCSD departments.

This program has only been in place for approximately 4 months but in that short period of time I have seen how it has helped students better their grades and make a personal connection with college students. We are now working with the schools to spread the word about the program by conducting tutorials for middle school classes in our computer lab where we provide a demonstration on how the program works and make sure that every student leaves with a login and password code to access the program at their convenience. We are also adding to the homework help experience by partnering with Volunteer San Diego to provide a group of volunteers in person for homework assistance once per week so that we can offer different tutoring options to community students.

In my recent and past experiences with homework help programs at different libraries, these are some helpful tips that have helped me establish and maintain a successful program:

• Survey the needs of the community to figure out days and times that would work best for students needing tutoring assistance.


• Have a clear structure of the program in mind before approaching individuals and organizations for their volunteer services.


• Set clear guidelines and schedules for volunteers and make sure that all of the appropriate paperwork is on file before beginning the program.


• Promote, promote promote! (in house, newsletters, schools, online, local businesses and organizations, after school programs and local media)


• Establish partnerships with schools, volunteer groups, colleges and universities to implement a free homework assistance program.


• Evaluate the program at different times to assess if changes or improvements need to be made to better serve the students.

G is for...

GRAPHIC NOVELS!
Graphic novels are a familiar sight at most public libraries. And I’m sure we’ve all heard the debates over their merit as great literary material (Neil Gaiman, anyone?). Regardless of our personal views, graphic novels are here to stay. I’ve found that most librarians have had little, if any, interaction with comic books. Those funny little books with words and pictures that are perfect for children and the semi-literate? Those monstrous series with the people with small noses and big eyes that the teens are always asking about? I wouldn’t ask anyone to read these books, but I would ask them to change their views of them. I would recommend reading Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. In the 1990s, comic book artist Scott McCloud (check out his Zot! graphic novel) set out to explain the comic book phenomenon and what makes the art form unique. He traces the combination of words and pictures through history, touching on the sequential art of the Egyptians and the Mayans. He discusses how universal images of a happy or sad face can be read across cultural and generational divides. Comic creators control the timing and pacing of a story through panel size and page structure. He acknowledges how the reading of a comic book is a symbiotic experience between the creator and the reader. The creator relies on the reader to “follow the rules” and read the page in the intended order and fill in the action that takes place in the “gutters” between the panels. I know this sounds like I’m trying to apply a greater importance to graphic novels than most people would give them, but there is no denying their importance to our core users. The least we could do is try to understand them. And if you really want to dive into the medium, here's a list of great writers whose work puts them at the top of the field.

Most librarians have heard of Neil Gaiman's comic book masterpiece Sandman, but take the time to check out some of his other work like The Books of Magic (an inspiration for Harry Potter?). As far as I'm concerned, Alan Moore is the best writer in comics. Pick up and read anything with his name on it and you will not be disappointed. This is the man that brought us Watchmen and V for Vendetta, but don't miss his run on Swamp Thing, Promethea, and Top 10. My last big name is Grant Morrison. He is currently writing the Batman comics and his past works include Animal Man, Doom Patrol, and the epic The Invisibles. If you take the time to read these layered, compelling stories you will find that not all comics are sock 'em up superhero yarns.

F is for...

FELT/FLANNELBOARD STORIES!

I have been intimiated by felt since I became a Youth Services Librarian. Not the material itself (of course) but the creativity and skill set that goes into creating and executing a brilliant flannel board story. Last summer, I made a commitment to try to use the flannelboard more often and I have had an interesting time accomplishing this goal. My first step was to purchase some felt stories. After getting recommendations from a few librarians and purchasing a variety of sets, the place I like best is Artfelt.net. Her stories are awesome and the pieces double as finger puppets.

My next step was to try laminating some clip art and then sticking velcro on the back. While I don't mind this method, it is not as quick and easy as some people claim it is. I also get a little bored with the stock images at times...if only I could draw!

Recently, Joanna persuaded me to give my own felt story making skills a go, so I checked out Carlson & Carlson's Flannelboard Stories for Infants and Toddlers and genuinely gave it my best effort. The stories in the book aren't typical flannelboard stories. They are basic identifying "stories" with simple words and phrases, which makes them perfect for infants and toddlers. However, tracing was a challenge, cutting in a straight line even more challenging, and staying motivated the most challenging.

And then in walked a volunteer to save me from snipping more flesh from my hand. When I asked her if she was detail oriented, she embarrassedly muttered something about being slightly fanatic, so I assigned her my felt project. Behold:

(She literally sewed the wiskers on to that cat!)

 So this post is sort of my ode to Ella, who is abandoning me for a paying gig. The felt quest continues...

E is for...

EARLY LITERACY!
I am one of the many SUPERHUGE fans of the "PacificNorthwestway". I might have just made up that catchphrase, so let me back up and explain. You regular readers know that I am wild about early literacy; it is one of my "things."  When I think about early literacy and all that I want to do to help ensure that the millions of kids in this nation become readers, I get excited and start talking really fast (well I already talk fast, and this is faster than normal, so crazyfast). I am just passionate about early literacy and what this profession can do to communicate its importantance to people everywhere. That being said, 8 out of 10 times I see something awesome happening with early literacy in libraryland it is happening at one of the libraries in the Pacific Northwest. Multnomah County Library & King County Library are top dogs, but there are many other great libraries and systems up there getting things done.

One of my weekly challenges is how to communicate the importance of early literacy to the 75 teen moms I work with. Three things I have found success with are--

1. Visuals:  The teens respond best when I not only say what the early literacy skill we are working on today is, but also show them the info in written form. Multnomah County has great Birth to Six products, and I ordered their posters and handouts. I also laminated the early literacy diagram from Early Literacy Storytimes @ your library®: Partnering with Caregivers for Success by Saroj Ghoting and Pamela Martin-Diaz and we go over it at the beginning of each storytime

2. Music: Music and Movement is a must for all my storytimes, and can easily be incorporated to support the skill I am working on that week

3. Board Books for everyone:I think this is the standard way to do baby lapsit, but I have found that even with the toddlers and their mothers, reading and holding a book that is sturdy and small enough for the child gets everyone excited about story sharing