Monthly Programs

 Monthly

Dog Tales - Ages 5-12, Program available one Thursday of each month, 5:00-6:00 pm

This program allows children to improve their reading skills by reading to a licensed therapy dog. Children will get to read aloud in a private room with the dog without feeling the anxiety and pressure of reading in front of peers. Children will get to enjoy reading in a positive and fun way in front of animals that don't mind if a mistake is made. Children will engage in a 15 minute session that will include the animal, dog handler, parent, and the child. Children will read for about 10 minutes, and within the last 5 minutes of session, can interact with the dog and get a sticker or bookmark, depending on the child's age. Parents and children will need to fill out a Dog Tales permission form in order to participate. Reservations will need to be made in order to take part in this program. The library teams up with volunteer teams such as Love on a Leash (n.d.) to make this program happen.

Staffing: 2 librarians should be available to supervise the event and talk with the animal handlers. The event books up very quickly, so at least 5 animals need to be on hand to work with the participants. 

Budget: This event will be cost free, since the therapy animals will be from a local volunteer organization.

__________________________________________________________________________

All Aboard! STEAM Lab - Ages 8-12, program available one Saturday of each month, 10:00-11:00 am

This once monthly event includes demonstrations, hands-on activities, and presentations aimed for children aged 8-12. Participants will learn about a new topic each month that is based off of the monthly library theme. This program is intended to engage children who are interested in getting to learn more about the STEAM field. Participants are able to engage with like-minded peers and have fun learning about various STEAM fields. An activity example based on June's library theme, The Great Outdoors, will have participants learn how to find constellations while also playing fun space exploration games (Science Buddies, n.d.). Children will get to bring home a craft, reward, etc. that will allow them to continue the topic at home. Registration will be required and a maximum of 15 kids will be the limit for the program.

Staffing: 2 librarians should lead the program with about 3 volunteers to assist. 

Budget: The cost of this program will vary based on the theme, but the budget will be allotted towards the activity materials. The total budget per month should not exceed $80.

__________________________________________________________________________

Lego Club - Ages 7-12, program available one Wednesday of each month, 4:30-5:30 pm

The Lego Club meets once a month and brings children together to build special projects depending on what the theme is for each month. Completed projects are placed in a special glass display case with the child's name, age, and name of their creation. Voting will be held by library patrons to see which creation they like the most and the winners will receive prizes (ex: gift certificates to local restaurants, Pennypicke's Museum pass, etc.). Registration will be required and open to children aged 7-12 years old. Light refreshments will also be available during the program. 

Staffing: One librarian and 4 volunteers should be available to lead the Lego Club sessions along with setting up the refreshments table, passing out materials, and any other assistance necessary.

Budget: Initial costs will be about $250 for purchasing the supplies, which should last throughout the year. Refreshments will cost about $85 for the whole year. Total cost: $335.

__________________________________________________________________________

Page Turners Book Club - Ages 8-12, program held on one Tuesday a month, 5:00-6:30 pm

This book club and discussion is targeted towards children 8-12 years old and meets once a month. Registration will be required. The maximum number of children to participate will be 12. Attendees will be split into small groups of 6 with 2 librarians facilitating each grouping. Each month's reading group will match the monthly library theme. The meeting agenda will first consist of a welcome, introductions, and an ice breaker game. After this, children will be split into 2 different small groups where the librarians will lead them in a discussion about the book by asking around 5 questions and engaging each of the participants to share. After the discussion, children will participate in a couple games or crafts and then have a refreshment break. After the break, another game will be played and then then, finally, the closing activity will be completed. A main prize will be awarded to the winning team (whoever got the most points for the games) and smaller prizes will be given to the other team. One book will be designated as the chosen book per month; other book titles will be highlighted through booktalks and displays per meeting.

Staffing: Each book club meeting will be hosted by 2 librarians and 2 volunteers will assist with setup, cleanup, and any additional duties that will be needed.

Budget: The budget will vary depending on each month and activities involved (games, crafts, refreshments, and prizes), but will average between $100-$130 per month. Total budget: Between $100-$130.

__________________________________________________________________________

Pokémon Pals - Ages 6-10, program held on a Monday once a month, 5:00-6:00 pm

This program is geared towards children aged 6-10 and will meet one Monday evening per month. No registration will be required. Children can bring their own card decks to collect, trade, and battle other players. If children do not have a card deck, the library will have basic decks in their collection and training sheets to borrow. Children can also bring anything Pokémon related (toys, books, video games) and socialize with other like-minded participants (American Library Association, 2021). Depending on the month, some sessions will incorporate Pokémon themed arts and crafts. At the beginning of the session, the librarian will greet the participants and ask if everyone knows how to play the card game; if some/most children don't know how to play, a tutorial lesson will take place. After the tutorial, children can have free play with others. Towards the end of the year, a tournament will be held for children that want to sign up and participate. The child who wins the tournament against other players will be labeled as the "Pokémon Master" and will receive a special Pokémon-themed prize.  

Staffing: One librarian who has background in understanding how to play Pokémon will host the program and 6 volunteers who also have experience with the game will be available to assist. Volunteers will pass out card decks and training sheets to children who need them and will offer assistance with the games. 

Budget: The library budget will include basic Pokémon decks ($50), training sheets ($0, will be printed at the library), arts and crafts supplies (the library will already have many supplies needed, $50), and a Pokémon-themed prize for the end of the year ($25). Total budget: $125.

References

American Library Association. (2021). AASL partners with Pokémon to offer Pokémon clubs. https://www.ala.org/news/2021/08/aasl-partners-pokemon-offer-pokemon-clubs

Cheung, D.K. (2020). [Legos crossing the street] [image]. https://unsplash.com/photos/white-and-black-lego-toy-B7N0IjiIJYo

Hermans, T. (2017). [Books] [image]. https://unsplash.com/photos/book-lot-on-table-9BoqXzEeQqM

Love on a Leash. (n.d.). Unleashing the love. https://www.loveonaleash.org/

Pedersen, T. (2021). [Pokémon cards with Poke ball] [image]. https://unsplash.com/photos/red-and-white-ladybug-toy-on-white-and-yellow-book-dip9IIwUK6w

Science Buddies. (n.d.) Space exploration STEM activities for kids. https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/subjects/space-exploration

Street, J. (2018). [Dog sitting in front of book] [image]. https://unsplash.com/photos/dog-sitting-in-front-of-book-Zqy-x7K5Qcg

Vasiliu, G. (2023). Robot programming STEM kit [image]. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-robot-that-is-sitting-on-top-of-a-box-t4sHSkJpm0I