First Day!!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 1:03 am

So, today was the first day of the summer reading program. We all went early to set thing ready and were extremely nervous. We thought no one will come. We thought too many would come. We had 30 packets ready. We didn't have too much time to worry because by 9:30 children were waiting outside. Dan let them in at 9:45am. Starting time was 10:00am. It turned out well. We had 26 kids and 14 adults, plus Dan, Dick, Mary and I. Now, we don't have a big library. Dick says the children's section is about 35 by 35 minus the space six computer desks take up. The adult room is about the same though it is narrower and longer. Dan had a whistle and when it got so noisy we couldn't hear ourselves think, he blew the whistle. We signed registration sheets and book list sheets. We gave out tickets for the end of the program drawing. One drawing for kids and one drawing for the volunteer helpers. We explained the animals on parade contest. For each book read during the seven weeks an animal will be put on the line going around the entire library, kid section and adult section. Each animal is approx. 4 inches long. Today, approx. 100 books were checked out. The kids had to determine where they thought the line of animals would stop at the end of seven weeks. We approximated about 300 to 350 feet of space. But, you have to factor in the fact that some families have more than one or two children. One family has five and one family has another five coming. So if each of the five read all of the books that's 5x10 books that they are allowed to take out and if each one checks out 10 and each one reads the other's books you have an astounding number of books for one family. Of course, due to the age range in the families it is probably not going to happen, but the older ones can read to the younger ones and read each others books so of course there is no way to predict where the line will end. Of course some thought it would reach all around and one girl thought it would go around twice. I can't wait to see where it will end. The smaller children have no clue but the older ones were trying to figure it out by the number of children and how many books they could check out. Then, they had to revise it because some children checked out video's and they don't count as a book. It was interesting watching them try to figure it out. I'm not sure how they did end up putting their name on the line. We divided into teams and had teams of six today. One child declined to be on a team and one child will not be here next week so they were a temporary member.
Now, next week we should have 10 or 11 more children because summer school starts and there is a class of nine children who will come as a class. Also, two children signed up but they couldn't start until next week. One girl came in the afternoon and signed up so she could start reading books so next week she could start getting points for the books she read. Each easy book is worth one point and each juvenile book is worth one point per twenty-five pages. Points can be used to buy prizes from the prize catalog. Prizes are little sticky animals, animal bracelets, animal pens, key chains, little animal sticky balls, finger puppets, hand puppets, and many more. Range from one point to 20 points. Anyway we think we have had a successful start. next week, a visit from Miss Kitty's Cat House, a no kill cat shelter. They are bringing kittens and a jaguarmundi? I hope that is spelled right. It's a South American cat. We will make a cat toy with a pompom and a bell on yarn. Hope it goes as well. Will keep you posted. We have 24 new pictures on the wall of pets or wanna pets. Dooley

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jubabe296 wrote on Wed Jun 14, 2006 2:57 am:

Oh Dooley!! I'm soooo excited it has started!! I'm also soooo glad ya'll had a good start! I know how hard ya'll have worked on this and you should be sooooo proud! Good luck with the rest of the program. I can't wait to hear more about it!!! I have enjoyed reading this post soooo much!

eileen wrote on Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:43 am:

Dooley I'm so happy to hear that your programme has started so well. Approx 100 books checked out on the first day - terrific!!! I hope you can get some piccies for us. I'd love to see those kittens.

Gardenstew wrote on Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:31 pm:

Lol @ Dan with the whistle, psssst! Silence! :D

Seriously though it sounds like quite the successful start to the reading program dooley. I know you had been slightly nervous about it but I don't think you need to be anymore. I'd love to be around next week when the Jaguarundi (I looked it up :)) comes in:

http://www.bigcatrescue.org/jaguarundi.htm

He looks very cool!

chelseamerz wrote on Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:17 am:

Hi Dooley,

I'm a radio producecr for a national radio show. We'd like permission to read from your blog on our show tomorrow night, june 15. Please email me as soon as you can and I can further explain. chelsea@radioopensource.org

To learn about our show you can visit www.radioopensource.org