Why We Go to the Library

PL Youth Gaming and Virtual Worlds

Yes, I have posted about My Littler Reader's and my trips to the library several times in the past here and here and here. I guess I am just always fascinated (sometimes baffled) by the library and what goes on there.

I must admit, My Little Reader and I are just now getting into a regular library visiting habit. The fact that he's now getting to be old enough to have more of an understanding of, and appreciation for what happens there has served as a motivating factor for me.

This week I was a bit shocked on our visit to one of our local library branches. Isaac and I walked into the children's room (one of only two rooms in this small branch) to find three (or four?) moms sitting around a table chatting while their half a dozen kids (or so) ran around the small carpeted area in the middle of the room yelling and screaming and chasing one another around. There was no correction from their moms, no hushes or attempts to calm them down at all; the moms didn't even seem fazed by it.

I was so frustrated by this. Rightly so or not? There were so many things about this scene that frustrated me. A few:

• These mothers seemed to be using the library as a playroom for their kids to romp around in with no direction (or supervision it seemed), so they could socialize.
• I don't know what was more rude, the loud obnoxious kids, or the loud obnoxious parents.
• How sad to see these moms at the library with their kids, but not actually sharing the experience with their kids, or helping to guide and enhance the experience for their children.
• My son is 2 yrs. old and of course wanted to join in on the chaos that he was witnessing. Ugh! Now I have to deprogram him. (He did calm down once these families cleared out and headed home.)
• The chaos in the children's room made it nearly impossible to browse for books. We had to kind of hang back till they left.

No I didn't complain to the library staff. Perhaps I should have. Or perhaps I had my panties in too big of a bunch over it all? I don't know. But it got me thinking about what I want for Isaac and me when we visit the library. Why do we go to the library?

• To borrow books, of course. A variety of reading materials!
• To hear stories. (Sometimes we make it to story time.)
• To show Isaac the joy of discovering new books. (Look at all these books!)
• To help develop new interests in Isaac. (What fun new things can we read about?)
• To foster his interests that are already present. (Right now he's loving Dolphins!)
• To have a good time. (Getting out of the house is always fun!)
• To learn how the library works. (What's the library for, how to find what you're looking for at the library, etc.)

From what I saw this week at the library, I guess this is not why every family visits the library.

So please use the comments section to tell me why YOU visit the library with your child(ren). Please!

Children's Home Library Start-Up - My Dilemma.

"Long before children are introduced to the public library, books should be a part of their home lives. Begin a home library as soon as the child is born." - Jim Trelease (The Read Aloud Handbook, 2001)

If you don't have a home library for you child, I strongly encourage you to start one. It doesn't have to be expensive. Want some awesome, inexpensive bookshelves? Craigslist is a great place to search. I think we paid $30 for a nice all-wood shelf for my son's room, but you can find shelves even cheaper than that on there. If you're lucky enough to have an IKEA near you, that's a great place to look too. Or make these shelves. I plan on putting some of these up once my son gets a little bigger and is able to explore books on his own a little more.

Need some books on the cheap? That's even easier than finding inexpensive bookshelves. Visit garage sales, thrift stores, consignment stores, consignment sales, and library book sales. I get amazing deals at these places all the time (Read about it here and here). But I would also encourage you to spend some money on new books when you can. There's a special feeling that comes with having your very own, brand-new, shiny book! You can always request these at birthdays and holidays too, if your family and friends are wanting gift ideas for your little one. (You can check out the Literacy Launchpad Store in the sidebar for some great book-buying!)

I have been working on my child's home library for years now, because as a literacy teacher, I'm always buying books! And as it turns out, this has created a bit of a dilemma for me. I don't know which books are his and which books are mine!

He does have a some books that are definitely his. And I let him chew on these, drool on these, and crumple the pages as he explores them. But there are many books that I consider mine, and I guess I'm just not a good sharer. I know he would enjoy many of my picture books as he gets older, and I want him to have the freedom to look at and explore them on his own. But I'm fearful of what may happen to my precious books!

So what do I do? Do I need to just let it go and share? Books are meant to be enjoyed, right? Hopefully, if I teach him how to properly care for books, he'll treat my books kindly.

... Or do I leave my books put up somewhere for special reading times only? What would you do?

Local Book Sales!

The Spring Hill Library is having their quarterly book sale this Saturday (Oct. 27th) from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m.

The Williamson County Public Library is having their book sale from Nov. 1st through Nov. 4th during regular library hours.

These sales are an inexpensive way to add some books to your child's home library!! Race ya there!!

Buy Books Here!!

You may have noticed my brand new, fancy-dancy, Amazon widgets on the sidebar. Yes, I have finally sold out and put ads on my blog. And here's why:

1. I earn money. Obviously. Actually, I earn Amazon credit. It's not much, but it might allow me to get a book on Amazon every once in a while for free! And what's better than a book? A FREE book!

2. These widgets are informative. I like to mention and display the books we're reading (or have read) in class anyway. These widgets make it easy for you to see what we've read in class and access more info about them.

3. They encourage book buying. I strongly encourage you (parents) to be building your child's home library. If your child comes home from class talking about a book they really liked, I would suggest adding it to your home library. Amazon has great pricing on their books, and your child receives a fun package in the mail with one of their favorite books inside! And if you're going to buy the book anyway, buy it through the Literacy Launchpad blog! You can click on the image or title of the book and it will take you directly to Amazon's website .