Adapting a Winter Program for Everyone

Image by Sabine Kroschel from Pixabay

As the year rolls to an end, it's good to reflect on where we are and what we've done in our programming - especially what we have offered around the December holidays. Taking that pause helps us think about what works and what doesn't - and how it serves all our community. That reflective evaluation and clear-eyed look at long-time projects and programs can be eye-opening.

In a recent ALSC blog post, Betsy Raczkowski, a member of ALSC's Managing Children's Services Committee, shares how their library took a long hard look at a popular holiday program and how they adapted it to make it more meaningful and inclusive for all their community.

Betsy writes: “ "It’s never too early to plan for next year!"  It’s a phrase often said in libraries, and while some of us cringe at the thought of “next year,” the holiday season is a great time to reflect. For nine years, we held a blow-out Christmas event. It drew 1,500 patrons to the library on a chilly night in December for trolley rides, letters to Santa, and even Santa himself. It was an event that families looked forward to every year; something that became a holiday tradition alongside cookie making and caroling. So we kept it going, right? An annual event for 1,500 people! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But the problem was, it was broken."

To read about their process and decisions, please click here. [Winter Fun for All. Raczkowski,, Betsy. ALSC blog. December 21, 2023.]