Post SLP Thoughts

Many of us are getting to the end our our busy summer library program season. We hear the crickets at night and know that our own vacations and school are coming up.   It's a time when we think over the SLP - what worked, what didn't, what we might change or add in the next go-round a full year away.

YSS member Sue Abrahamson shared some of the changes they made this year.

As for life in Waupaca, we really slaughtered some sacred cows:

• Little or no extra decorating for SLP
• If we expect kids to read all summer, why did we only have SLP for 8 weeks?  We've extended their time to participate.
• Nothing but books for prizes!  That's right.... no grand prize drawings, no trinkets!  When we solicited our community partners we specifically said it was all about providing books and we received $2375 to buy books for all ages.
• Love this Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) theme! - We did an experiment a day, drop in style, you do it when you can get here!
• 24 youth volunteers helped us with experiments
• We started a MakerSpace event on the front lawn of the library once a month!  Fun!
• Still had 647 kids and 102 teens participating!

And Portage Library had the Friends of the Library support donations to charity rather than using the money for prizes!

I have started a Pinterest Board of some of the great ways people are changing how they approach SLP.

What did you do to experiment and shake up the SLP status quo?