This morning, my children and I skipped along to school for 7:45am to attend a Library Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. It felt ironic to be on the receiving end of so much thanks and gratitude from the wonderful librarians and staff at my children's elementary school since I LOVE our weekly support shifts in the library and we owe them thanks! Speaking to the other parents who volunteer, they said the same.
I have done a Tuesday and sometimes Thursday morning shift this year and the library is a hive of book-loving activity every week. Some of the tasks I enjoy are: scanning in returned books, reshelving books, organising holds, choosing book examples for display, helping children find their genre or a book of interest, enabling students to learn the routines of the library space, scanning out books, checking the catalogue for titles, setting up for class library visits, helping with preparations for events like book fairs and anything else of help for the inspirational librarians at school.
A school that values spaces like these and puts so much into encouraging reading, writing and enthusiasm for books and literacy knows what it's doing!
I've found the numerous book collections, such as prizewinners or recommended book lists which have been promoted throughout the year to be a great initiative. I expect it is a regular thing in libraries, however the collections in Texas and the States have been of great interest to me this year. For example, the Caldecott Medal Winners, 2x2 Reading List, Texas Bluebonnet Award and many others. I look forward to seeing which books are on the lists next year and sharing them with my children.
In my past, as a teacher I always made time for library visits and time for liaising and communicating with the expertise of the librarians. I have been lucky in each of the schools where I have worked to have had magnificent, inspirational professionals on hand to augment and support literacy, research and reading in my lessons. If you find this entry, you know who you are: Judith, Isabella, Sandra, Catherine, Jessica, Cristina! I have the fondest memories of working with you all.
As a parent, the library space in school is such a welcome one. I continue to find joy in the exclamations you hear from our youngest children when they realise that you can take the book away and borrow it for free and then swap it for a new unread book the next time. How amazing is that? It's simply the best idea and using a library is worthwhile for all of us, at every stage of our reading lives.
As mentioned in a previous post, I had a gap from visiting public libraries whilst we were living in the U.A.E., so being able to register at our local library in Katy, TX has also been a positive experience for me. You may have seen my book piles and reviews, to which I am slowly but surely adding some fantastic titles. Take a look if you're looking for your next read and welcome recommendations.
Our eldest son moves onto Junior High next year. He's come on leaps and bounds in his reading over the years and in particular this year, he has found some authors who appeal to his interests, which has pleased me. I hope that he will continue to enjoy popping to the library for exchanging his reading material and I look forward to seeing him develop further with his research skills and use of more textual references to back up his writing.
I'm signing off now.
I may sneak in some reading of a few chapters of my current book.
Do come back soon!
Christina Francis-Gilbert
