Star Bucks!

Description

Kids will be kids! We spend a lot of time asking them to put their shoes on the boot rack, pick up and put away the games they have been playing with, put their garbage in the trash can... There are days when we feel like we are glorified babysitters! And so we launched the Star Bucks incentive program. We created simple little forms about the size of a business card (see photos). When we notice a child doing something good - like putting her shoes on the rack, or cleaning up after himself, we reward them with a Star Buck! When any child has collected five Star Bucks, they can then use them to "purchase" an entry for a prize draw. Puzzles, Lego, magic kits, books, games... fun stuff that kids will like.

It didn't take long for the kids to catch on. We do not give them a Star Buck every time they do something good - just often enough for them to keep doing it. And we try to reward individual kids for doing different things.

We did not advertise what kinds of things the kids needed to do to earn a Star Buck. We wanted the behaviors to come from them rather than be dictated by us. Once a few kids started receiving the Star Bucks, they quickly started "policing" their peers and encouraging them to follow suit.

We had a few prizes to start out with, but we are now seeking donations from businesses to help sponsor the prizes. In exchange we offer public acknowledgement of the business and invite a representative from the business to present the prize. There is no set time between prize draws. Once there are a sufficient number of entries (about every 2 or 3 months) we hold the draw and make it a bit of an event. That way it is easier to coordinate with prize donors to be there.
Source Library

Program photos

Program promotional materials

Audience

Primary Audience

Preschool (aged 3-4)
Primary (Gr. K-3 or aged 5-8)
Intermediate (Gr. 4-7 or aged 9-12)
Resources

Community partners

Local businesses

Funding (grants/foundations/corporations)

Literacy Grant, donations

Resources required (materials/supplies; food/refreshments, etc.)

Prizes! Star Bucks (easily created and printed in-house).
Evaluation

Highlights - what worked well?

NOT telling the kids what to do! By choosing kids randomly and rewarding them for doing different things that were respectful and helpful, we are able to reinforce the behaviors, make coming to the library fun and relieve the staff of having to nag at them.

What were the goals/objectives of your program?

We basically wanted to instill good behaviors in children that use the library, like putting shoes on the boot rack to keep the entry way clear and safe, cleaning up after themselves and taking responsibility for the games and other equipment they use while visiting the library.

Podcasts on a Budget

Description

Connecting with patrons - and non-patrons - electronically is fast becoming a must for libraries. One great way to do this is by posting a series of podcasts. The sky's the limit for content. Feature your library's services or programs and use the podcasts to promote them. Or host a StoryTime type podcast and have fun reading bedtime stories. Busy parents might just thank you when they need a night off once in a while. You could just read stories for fun, too!

You can invite local "celebrities" to share their stories, or partner with local businesses or organizations to be featured - NOT as advertisements! - with a chance to tell their stories to the community.

There are literally endless possibilities. At HPL we are doing a 10-post series called The Raven's Next Chronicles that is featuring local people reading their original short stories or poems or performing music they have written. We are partnering with local schools and the college as well as inviting the general public to submit their work for this project.

It's not as difficult as you might think. All you need are: an iPhone or Android phone, a free app called Voice Recorder Pro, a YouTube Account, Movie Maker (Windows) or Garage Band (Apple), a name for your podcast and a logo or graphic to brand your series with.

It's all kinds of fun to do! And with a little bit of practice, you'll be podcasting like a pro!

Below is a link to a sample podcast. (The actual series is still being produced.)
Source Library

Length of program session

30-60 minutes

Number of sessions

10

Frequency

Weekly

Presenter(s)

Toni McKilligan
Audience

Primary Audience

Multi-generational
Resources

Community partners

We partnered with local schools, the local college and invited the general public to participate.

Funding (grants/foundations/corporations)

A bit of staff time! Or some intrepid volunteers who love technology and are willing to donate a bit of their time.

Budget for this program

Mostly FREE! You probably have - or have access to - everything you need. Just download the free apps and away you go.

Resources required (materials/supplies; food/refreshments, etc.)

Guests! These are important. Try to find interesting people to talk to who will share their stories willingly and be a bit entertaining.
A computer, of course! Along with the appropriate software. Microsoft Movie Maker or Garage Band are easy programs to learn and use.
An iPhone or Android device with Voice Recorder Pro installed. (It's free.)
A You-tube account.
A pretty logo or graphic to brand your podcast.
Evaluation

Feedback from Participants

Coming soon.

Highlights - what worked well?

So far everything is running smoothly. Staff are growing more confident with the software and are having fun with the guests. It's all still in-progress.

What were the goals/objectives of your program?

To engage the public! We wanted to give our local citizenship something entertaining to associate with the library. As well, we wanted to give talented local people of all ages an opportunity to have their work shared.

What would you change about this program?

I'd love to have better equipment. But it really isn't necessary to spend big bucks. With a little innovation and creativity, it was just a matter of applying a bit of time to learning a few new skills.

Games For Grownups

Description

Games for Grownups is a monthly evening program where adults can gather for some kid-free time and play board and card games. It's pretty simple and easy to facilitate. We set up tables around the library, set out some games, some pop and chips and let people choose what they want to play. We get couples and singles attending. Groups of friends arrive to challenge each other, or mix with new people.
Source Library

Program promotional materials

Length of program session

> 120 minutes

Frequency

Monthly

Presenter(s)

Staff
Audience

Primary Audience

Adults
Seniors
Resources

Funding (grants/foundations/corporations)

Literacy Grant - Library Branch/MoE

Budget for this program

Initial investment in games: $500.00 Per session snacks: $40.00

Resources required (materials/supplies; food/refreshments, etc.)

Games. We purchased a number of games from various sources - local stores and on-line. Amazon.ca and starlitcitadel.com both have great selections and good prices. If you mention at time of order that the purchase is for a public library, Starlit Citadel will give you 10% off. They also have a selection of games that are slightly irregular (boxes may have crumpled corners) but are otherwise in perfectly good condition that are on sale for great savings. Starlit Citadel specializes in both new and traditional games. Their site is not easy to navigate - they are gamers not techies, apparently - but with some practice, you will find what you need and they provide excellent customer service.

We try to buy a mix of both traditional games and new games. Popular at HPL are Dixit and Gloom. Hobbit Yahtzee is a fun twist on an old staple. Dutch Blitz will have tables roaring with laughter and frustration! Scrabble and cribbage are on the shelf as well as Settlers of Catan.

Patrons have generously donated games to our collection, too. Once we got the ball rolling, patrons just took ownership and now this is a popular program.
Evaluation

Feedback from Participants

"I love that I can try games out before I buy them. The library has a few games that I have been looking at, but haven't bought yet." KV

"I'm so getting my girlfriend to come with me next time! This was fun." JK

Highlights - what worked well?

Having a good variety of games on hand and listing them in the promotional materials for the program. People are curious about games they hadn't heard of before and will sometimes come in ahead of time to read the rules and see what other options there might be on the game shelf.

What were the goals/objectives of your program?

To provide adults with some kid-free, alcohol-free fun and entertainment. We just wanted to give people a new perspective on what public libraries are all about and an opportunity to socialize in a wholesome environment.

What would you change about this program?

I don't think we would change much. It's working well. Participants have asked for a weekly program instead of a monthly one, but we are sticking to once a month because we want it to be "special" and we have limited staffing at moment that prevents us from increasing the fequency.