Schneider Family Award Blog Tour

Schneider Family Book Award SealKathie Schneider is a library advocate, retired psychologist from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, author, disability advocate, and dog enthusiast (to name only a few of her attributes!).  We are lucky to have her in our...

Two Great Nuggets

Golden nugget squashI attended an American Libraries Live session on Kid and Teen Friendly Libraries yesterday, and gleaned two worthwhile nuggets from it:ADVOCACY:  Even if your library board or director doesn’t require it, be sure to submit regular...

Hawkins Summer Fun

Arlene from Hawkins had a successful program earlier this summer.  Menomonie author Jeanne Styczinski, who wrote Mama, how Does the Wind Start to Blow, presented a program about her book and being an author/illustrator.  Arlene says she did a terrific...

Emergent/Early Reader Popular Series

Jenna Gilles from Fall Creek recently crowd-sourced a list of popular series for emergent readers and kids starting the journey with chapter books.  Here are the highlights (series that were recommended by several librarians).The Most Popular:(recommended by...

Surprising Prizes

Experiential Prizes are a cool idea, and research shows that they can be more effective than trinkets and toys.  Jenna Gilles-Turner, in Fall Creek, has challenged kids to read for chances to be the one to get to SLIME Jenna at the Summer Library Program party!...

Storytime University

I know for a fact that you are all busy as can be right now, providing great service to the kids in your community.  From what I hear, libraries are FULL to bursting, and many of you are heading outside the library and doing some terrific outreach, too.  Thanks for...

Teen Art Contest

There are some amazing teen artists out there.  The Library As Incubator Project is sponsoring an art contest for teens, encouraging them to create art inspired by a book, take a photo, and submit to them.  Sounds cool!  For more information, check out...

To Prize, or Not to Prize?

Prizes, prizes, prizes.  Do they make your Summer Library Program more or less fun?  There has been a lot of good discussion in our state lately about SLP prizes, how effective they are, and how much money we spend on them.  There are lots of...

Camouflage and Coffee Filters

Amy Koester, from the Show Me Librarian Blog, has a guest post on the Library As Incubator blog about a super-cool STEAM program about camouflage,. using that ubiquitous craft supply, coffee filters.  Take a look at this post, plus Amy’s other posts about...

Read On Wisconsin!

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center announced the 2014-2015 titles for Read On Wisconsin last week.  You will find monthly titles for every age group, and the goal is to promote a state-wide common read and discussion.  Cool, huh? Not only that,...

Drops of Water on a Penny?

My fabulous friend and colleague Sue Abrahamson from the Waupaca Public Library shared a tidbit with me the other day about an experiment she was doing with kids about how many drops of water fit on a penny. This is something that could work as an all-day, drop-in...