1. Good Practices in Library Programming
March 14, 2012

2. Different Activities for Different Audiences
Everyone
Children 12 & under
Youth 12 +
Adults
Families
Women
Men

3. A Sampling of the Possibilities…

4. 1. Everyone Assisting patrons to find the right book:
Lists of Recommended Books (by age group; or by subject)
Advising patrons with book suggestions
Featuring or
displaying
new books

5. 1. Everyone Offering Incentives:
Provide cookies, fruit or other snacks during scheduled activities or events
Supply literacy kits to parents
Give away backpacks or school supplies to children who use the library
Free classes, such as computer classes or research classes

6. 2. Children 12 & Under Story time:
Reading stories to a group of children
With or without parental accompaniment
Engage the children:
use different voices for
different characters; ask
them questions about
the story; sound effects;
show illustrations
Use a puppet show to
tell a story

7. 2. Children 12 & Under Story writing/Book making:
Have children imagine a story and provide them with paper and markers to illustrate and write their own book, with guidance from the librarian
Children can present the books to other children afterwards
Children can perform
plays they write or stories
they read in books

8. 2. Children 12 & Under Music events: Singing nursery rhymes together
Inviting a musician to perform for the children

9. 2. Children 12 & Under
Art
Have children make illustrations and then put them on display in
the library
- Craft hour
Sponsor an art
competition
Display art books in
library

10. 2. Children 12 & Under Outreach to Children
Have a story reading hour in a local orphanage
Have story readings in local schools

11. 3. Youth 12 + Study Support: Homework help seminars Tutoring
Workshops on research,
referencing, writing skills
and other academic skills

12. 3. Youth 12 + Reading Promotion: Youth Book Club Reading Competition
Book review
competition
Display photo essay on
a book made by youth
Poetry reading

13. 4. Adults Book Clubs Everyone in the club reads the same book
The club meets to discuss the book (i.e. monthly)
Members take turns selecting the book

14. 4. Adults Job Skills Support: Resume writing workshop
Vacancies information bulletin board in library
Have an area with brochures
or fliers for training programs
and study opportunities

15. 4. Adults Offer Recreational Classes Learn a foreign language
Kitchen gardening, horticulture
Literacy classes
Writing classes
Nutrition

16. 5. Families Activities for Families: Family story hour
Mom & kid(s) story hour
Family literacy
program