Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Youth Collection Demystified- Easy Readers

Today, we're continuing our tour of the Youth collection, figuring out how to locate easy readers (also known as "step" readers or "level" readers) on the shelves.

Overview
Easy readers (aka "step" or "level" readers) are the titles children check out when they're interested in learning to read independently from an adult.  In line with their name, these books often sport an assigned "level" on their front covers or spines.  As the designations increase in value (they often range from PreK for fledgling readers and work their way up to Level 3 for those children able to read whole paragraphs on their own), the difficulty level of the book's reading content becomes more complex.  Like stepping stones across a babbling brook, easy readers are meant to smoothly guide children through the transitional process of becoming independently literate. 

What It Looks Like


Left: The cover of an easy reader.  Right: Close-up of the level label.

Easy readers are always either located in a separate section near the picture books, or at some of our library branches, the easy readers are interfiled with the picture books.  Regardless of how they're shelved, easy readers are simple to distinguish from other parts of the collection because, while they are still alphabetized by the first letter of the author's last name and carry a bright yellow spine label similar to picture books, easy readers' spine labels are also clearly marked with a large, black "ER" designation. 

How to Find It
Here's an image of the catalog card for this book...


Author entry card for Melvin Berger's Snap!

We know this title is an easy reader because our catalog card locator mentions that the book is labeled "ER", and after noting that the author's last name begins with the letter "B", we know we can find this book in the Easy Reader section with the rest of the "B"s.


Found it!

And that's it- an overview of easy readers and how to find them in the library!  If you've missed any part of this series on demystifying the youth collection, you can catch up on Board Books or Picture Books at your convenience.  Next up: Children's (or Juvenile) Fiction!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Youth Collection Demystified- Picture Books

All right, today, we're continuing our brief tour of the Youth Collection, figuring out how to locate picture books on the shelves.

Overview
The picture book collection is the section most people think of when they conjure up images of the library.  Picture books can range from simple to quite complex, in both text and illustration and are often books that parents/teachers/caregivers read to children prior to children learning to read independently.  The books I use in story time are almost always culled from the picture book collection.  

What It Looks Like

A wintry book to get you in the right frame of mind for upcoming chilly temps! 

Picture books are easy to tell apart from most of the other books in the Youth Collection; they have bright yellow spine labels, shared only with the Easy Reader Collection, which we'll cover in more depth in the next post. 

How to Find It
Here's an image of the catalog card for this book...

Author entry card for Jimmy Fallon's Snowball Fight.

All books in the picture book collection are arranged alphabetically by first three letters of the author's last name, so this title is a snap to find.  Just locate the shelf with the other yellow labels marked with an "F", and then browse down the line until you find the title you're looking for.


Here's our book!

And that's it- an overview of picture books and how to find them in the library!  If you missed the first part in this series of demystifying the youth collection, feel free to catch up here.  Next up: the easy reader (aka step, or level, reader) collection...

Keep reading!

Shaen

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Youth Collection Demystified- Board Books

Have you ever walked into the youth area of your local library and wondered "How on earth is this organized, and where do I find what I need?"  Maybe you browsed on your own until you located the right title, or maybe you asked a librarian for help.  Maybe you left the library frustrated that you couldn't find what you needed.

Well, no more!  All the information you need is at your fingertips- in the catalog and on the book spines!  Over the next few weeks, I'll help to "demystify" the code on those paper spine labels so you can always find exactly what you're looking for. 

Overview
Let's start with the board book collection.  Those small, sturdy squares with cardboard-esque pages are perfect for adults to read to babies or toddlers who are just beginning to learn how to appreciate books.  The covers of board books are washable, their pages don't rip easily, and they often feature simple, bright illustrations and minimal text.

What It Looks Like

Here's a seasonal board book I snagged from our collection at Ironton.

Board books are different from the majority of the Youth Collection in that they don't have spine labels. 

Look, Ma, no label! :)

We often keep our collection corralled in a plastic bin or two, near the picture books- a section we'll talk about in the next installment of this series!

How to Find It
Let's say you found the above dePaola title listed in the card catalog...

Author entry card for Tomie dePaola's My First Thanksgiving.

and you wanted to know how to find it in the Youth Collection.  In the upper left-hand corner of the catalog card is a call number or locator.  This card notes that My First Thanksgiving is a board book, so automatically, we know we can find it in the board book bin (or designated shelf, as it happens at some of our branch libraries), which I've already mentioned are always located near the yellow-spined picture books. 

And that's it- an overview of board books and how to find them in the library!  Next up: demystifying the picture book collection...

Happy Thanksgiving, and keep reading!

Shaen

Friday, November 16, 2012

All About Animals- Week #10 Photos

Our week #10 activity table included lots of animal books.

Two of our story time book choices, Move Over, Rover and Emma Kate.

For our activity, we matched up animal puzzle pieces.

Making our mixed-up "Planimals"!




Keep reading!

Shaen

Reminder- Rescheduled Week #10 Story Time for Ironton!

Just a reminder to all those who attend story time at our Ironton Headquarters... due to the Veteren's Day holiday, last week's cancelled Week #10 session has been rescheduled for this upcoming Monday, November 19th at 10 am.  Hope to see you then!  Spring Story Time will be back in mid-February; watch this blog and the front desk of your local library for schedule details. 

Keep reading!

Shaen

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

All About Animals- Week #10

Fall Story Time (Week #10)
Weekly Theme: ANIMAL MIX-UP!

Books: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer, A Fish Named Spot by Jennifer P. Goldfinger, The Little Rabbit Who Liked to Say Moo by Jonathan Allen, The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming

Activity: Animal matching puzzle

Craft: "Plan-imals" creations!

Pictures of the last week of story time are up in the next post, so... 

Keep reading!

Shaen

Friday, November 9, 2012

All About Animals- Week #9 Photos

Reading one of our story time books, Hide and Snake by Keith Baker.

Pretending to be snakes "catching" mice in our motor skills game.

Working on our craft.

A completed paper chain snake- doesn't he look sneaky?


Keep reading!

Shaen

Monday, November 5, 2012

All About Animals- Week #9

Fall Story Time (Week #9)
Weekly Theme: SNAKES

Books: Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh, Lunchtime for a Purple Snake by Harriet Ziefert, Hide and Snake by Keith Baker

Activity: Mouse Count motor skills game

Craft: paper chain snakes

Pictures of the ninth week of story time are up in the next post, so... 

Keep reading!

Shaen

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Trick or Treat at Ozark Regional Library!

Last week was a fun time at the library!  Not only was week #8 of fall story time our "party" week, where kids got to nab candy and other treats and dress up in costumes, but on Wednesday, October 31, Ironton Headquarters also hosted its first Trick or Treat Drop-in Program (a program we're planning to repeat every fall) for the area's elementary school students.  Children from the Arcadia Valley and Belleview school districts were invited to stop by the library any time on Wednesday from 8 am to 5 pm to check out the library, do a seasonal craft, and receive a sweet treat of candy.  Check out some of the event pictures below:

Getting a sweet treat for stopping by the library.

Having fun coloring in the story time room.





Even some of the Ironton staff got in the mood to dress up!  From left to right: Judy Schumacher, Michelle Swane, and Connie Reed.

Keep reading!

Shaen



Thursday, November 1, 2012

All About Animals- Week #8 Photos

Our themed activity table- we had lots of fun learning about rabbits!

Week #8 was our party week, so we also gave out candy, stickers, and other fun gifts to the kids (one of the moms provided these cute treat bags).


Lots of great costumes...

And more costumes...

And even more costumes, with a little bit of cheesing for the camera thrown in for good measure!


Keep reading!

Shaen