Little Sticker Girl

Recently a customer came up to the front desk with her young daughter - perhaps 4 years old. The little girl had been to the library before and knew that we offer young children colourful stickers just before they leave the library. Children love this and many will ask for a sticker before we have a chance to offer one. Well, as I was helping her mother the little girl politely asked if she could have a sticker. I told her that she certainly could have a sticker right after I helped her mother. After perhaps 10 seconds the little girl for a sticker again and again I responded that in just a couple of minutes I would come to the end of the counter and let her pick a sticker. The little girl was so excited she immediately ran to the end of the counter lifted her arms above her shoulders, and placed both of her little hands up on the counter and held them there, like a little typist - wrists up, fingers down. She didn't move and she didn't say anything. She just kept both of her arms up and waited for her stickers. As I served her mother I kept glancing over at the little girl. After about 1 or 2 minutes she still had not moved - nor did she say anything - she just waited. Have you ever held your arms out in front of you - above your shoulders? Try it. You'll last about 1 minute. She was so sweet and patient and I laughed as I watched her waiting so politely that I told her mother I had better give her a sticker early as we still had a few minutes of tasks ahead and I didn't want her little daughter to hold her arms out the entire time. I held out the page of stickers and offered the little girl one sticker for each hand. She deserved it after all that hard work. She carefully picked her two stickers and I placed them on the backs of her hands. For the next few minutes while waiting for her mother, the little girl waited quietly - holding her hands out before her and smiling as she admired her two new stickers.

Oh the wonders of the library!

Since the time I was young, libraries have been a source of great wonderment for me. All of those books, all of that potential, so many things to know and see, so many hours spent drifting among the stacks, discovering disciplines, ideas, new worlds.

These days, it is a real pleasure to help the little ones with the big eyes and ever-expanding imaginations. I see a bit of my child self in them - the balancing act necessary to manoeuvere a pile of books half their heights, the slightly crazed light in their eyes when they hear that they can take 99 items, the marvel written on their little faces when they find a cool new read or DVD.
I think my biological clock ticks a little faster each time one of those cute polite kids shares their literary excitement. Luckily there are the hold shelf theives to slow it down again!

One night a couple came in with their 3 children (approx. 3-7 years old). I went up to the children and asked if they wanted a sticker. Yes, they did! As I was putting one on the oldest boy I said " You can have another sticker since you have two hands, you should have two stickers". The little boy said "Yes I do and I have two feets too."

Summer Sleuth

It was a bright summer day and school had just been let out for the summer. Detective Jessica was on duty at the Flawn branch - she was curious (but then detectives are always curious). "Why are these kids hanging out in the library on the first real sunny day of summer vacation?"

It didn't take her long to notice two boys lingering by the hold shelf. "Weren't these the boys who are always placing holds on DVD's?" thought Jessica. (detectives always think a lot)

Later, the boys decided to sign out their library items. Luckily, Det. Jessica was on desk!! (detectives are always everywhere) When Jessica scanned their first DVD she got a message "Item on Hold for ......." YIKES, Det. Jessica knew a library crime was in progress!! She scanned two more DVD's and got the same message. Had these boys removed the DVD's from the hold shelf, removed the hold slips and tried to sign the DVD's out?? YES! Det. Jessica knew it was true (detectives always know) .

But wait, Det. Jessica shift was over - what should she do? She whirled into action, she hung onto the DVD's, restored the holds to their proper place and enlisted the help of Carol and Bev to have a chat with our young men about the proper library behavior!

WHEW - Our hero, Detective Jessica and its only the first day of summer.

School Outreach

After completing my part of the school outreach we can expect many, many kids to come in and participate in the Summer Reading Adventure. Pretty well everyone at the school plans on coming in . Expect lots of very enthusiastic children!!