June 17, 2008
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Dropping
I thought summer reading numbers were in the dumper. Now I know summer reading numbers are in the dumper. Program numbers are right where they should be, maybe even a little higher than in previous years. But the borrowing and returning books part of the summer has bottomed out. Not even the loot is an incentive. The kids come in, go to whatever the day’s activity is and leave without borrowing a thing. This is rather sad. The children want the bells and whistles, the something to do to occupy a couple of hours but actually reading….not so much. I can kick myself six ways to Sunday, but let’s face it, the program has been a rousing success for years. There was no gradual decline, just an instant dumping. I can’t account for it.
Part of it may well be the weather – a typical spring of gradually warming days that allowed for outside play was almost nonexistent this year. We went from winter to unbearably hot and back to cold. Perhaps they are getting the beach in while they can. A friend asked if perhaps they were out of town at grandma’s house being cared for. It’s possible but usually we have the grandchildren in the village. And certainly we all agreed the theme is really lame this year – Don’t Bug Me! I’m Reading! just isn’t very exciting. There is also the fact that family dynamics have changed and in households that just last year could get by with just one parent working now have two which makes the day’s end really rushed. Add into this mix video games, home internet access, hand held games and assorted other electronic gadgets and gizmos and I feel like I am joining the dodo in the land of extinction.
And how much of this is my own energy level? I won’t wear it all but I have to take some of it. I knew I was flat when I went to the elementary school but I had hoped that I had done a decent job selling it. I hear my words repeated: “Hi Mrs. Norman. I’m here for my cheap plastic junk!” say the 5th graders giggling, so they heard it and got it. And the littlies delight in saying, loud enough for me to hear, “Don’t bug me, Mom! I’m READING!” so they heard it to. So where are the rest of them? Where are they?
I am going to start asking the kids. They’ll know. And they won’t hesitate to tell me what they think. That might help some. I just want to know what caused the failure. Pah.
And so it goes.
Comments (6)
I actually feel guilty for my recent disservice to my local library. In my little town’s monthly bulletin, they said they have goals to increase circulation. I was doing a good thing checking out several materials a week. I have six materials check out right now, but I’ve renewed them two to four times each. Better get off the blog and in the book then, eh?
I used to hate blueberries, but then I had some really good ones. They ones that aren’t perfectly fresh are the worst fruits every, but the good ones blow my mind.
Yeah, get their word on it and things will be clearer. I do think that tech has likely put a dent into it. It is like each year I go back to school the kids have double he knowledge about tech from the year before and they know there is a learning curve.
I wonder. Do you guys have the books loan online for electronic texts? If so, I wonder if they would use that. It was too complicated here when I tried last but that was with an old PC.
They might go for something like that.
It was great to see you and I am for sure coming back if you don’t mind!
A sudden drop like that does seem strange. Maybe the book borrowing will pick up as summer progresses?
I’m not sure about the borrowing of the kids in our library but they are certainly there a lot. I like to see the tweens sitting outside with a load of books, then go in and see the littles working at tables with pictures and paper and colors. It gives me hope for the reading future.
Yep. Ask. You never know why your marketing’s not working unless you ask. At the very worst, they’ll simply tell you, “Don’t bug me!”
Dont’ know if it is an option or not or even feasible but what if you took a short story and had kids read different sections trying to be that character…don’t know..but it might make it fun and bring it alive. You may have already thought about this… but hey throwing it out there just in case.