Day Six

(I forgot to post this on Friday!)

Today was kind of a quiet day in the Children's Library.  It started off with storytime.  This week we read stories about polar bears and made polar bear puppets out of paper bags.  I was told that might be doing my own storytime on the last Friday in February!  The theme for the month of February is Friendship and Love, so I spent part of my lunch break trying to find books for my storytime.  I decided on books that had to do with the love families have for each other.  I have yet to think of a craft for my storytime, but I'm sure I'll think of something.

Miss Janet, the librarian I worked with today, showed me a great resource for finger plays (songs and rhymes you use your fingers to act out - kind of like "Where is Thumbkin?" if you remember that...).  She also showed me some of the resources they use to make sure that their children's book collection is up to date.  For example, she showed me a book called A to Zoo which is a resource that lists popular picture books for children.  She also invited me to come to the Children's/Teen Services department meeting on the 20th, so I will be attending that!  I think it'll be an interesting experience.

I spent the rest of the day at the reference desk.  I was hoping to visit the HYPE center for teens, but when I had time to go visit, the librarian that is in charge of HYPE was at lunch.  I will be working/observing in there next Thursday, though, so that'll be fun.  Every Thursday HYPE does what's called "Makerspace" where they do crafts and other hands-on activities with the teens.  I also learned today that next Friday I will be at the Douglass Branch, and I will be going along on a trip to drop off books to patrons at a Retirement/Rehabilitation facility.  I'm looking forward to that.

With every passing day that I am at my practicum, I am starting to feel a little more comfortable and less like the awkward person who doesn't belong there.  I think it will still be a while before I'm completely at ease.  I still feel as though I am just a visitor, which I am, but I think as i get to know the people I am working with better it will start to feel as though this is a real job.