Well, it really seems like I abandoned this blog, because it has been such a long time since I posted anything on here. I have in fact been so very busy, having a proper job instead of the lovely life of being a PhD student. I am working data and databases and open access at the moment, but I have not lost sight of children's mobile libraries and librarianship. I did, however, loose my feed reader when Google reader disappeared, but I have found a substitute.
Here is a link to a Chinese Children's Mobile Library, to celebrate my comeback.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2013-08/27/content_16923318.htm
I particularly like the water cooler.
There are some very astute people in Oman. A children's mobile library is being set up there, because they know of the importance of children being able to select books themselves, from a wide selection.
http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Dar-al-Atta-a-mobile-library-to-start-touring-in-November-2j15
In this link, we find out that the lowest loss of library books in Kent are from their children's mobile libraries
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway_messenger/news/lost-stock-at-libraries-5728/
I am very pleased with the attitude of the library spokes person. When I was on the Reading Rocket, we were of the opinion that if books went missing, it meant that some children were getting books who would not otherwise have had any. In my mind it was a case of setting books free. As it happened, we had very little stock permanently disappear, books would suddenly be returned after having had an adventure for a year or more. The most extreme example that I remember was a father of four bringing back two large black bin liners full of out library books. I think some had been out for nearly two years. He must have found the children's stash!
Showing posts with label Reading Rocket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reading Rocket. Show all posts
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Friday, 6 March 2009
One less job to do
I met with a head teacher today, to talk through the idea of getting some teachers together who's schools were visited by the Reading Rocket. I wanted to know;
a) If there was any noticeable increase in literate behaviour by the children who came on board the Reading Rocket.
b) Is there any measurable data about the children's literacy that I can use.
c) What did the class/school/individuals, gain from the Reading Rocket visits.
d) Did she think I could get a focus group together to discuss the noticeable effects of the loss of the Reading Rocket.
Her comments on a) was that at this stage, a year on, it is difficult to judge such things, it is too much in retrospect. She suggested that the literate behaviour could be judged on a functioning children's mobile library, by taking a group of children aside and talking to them about books
(eg, how to handle a book, turn the pages, which way up it goes) at the start of the study, and then again at the end of the school year.
In her opinion, the measurable data (b)), would not show up any increase in literacy. Her school in particular have low reading ages, and there was no apparent increase in the general figures during the time of the Reading Rocket.
On the other hand, in answer to c) the children gained a great deal by the children's mobile library visits. Having a large selection of books from which they could make their own choices, without parental interference, was good. The high quality of the condition of the books was very important. Even the books that belonged to school were tattier. A clean, well looked after book is so much nicer to touch. Many of the households where their children originated would not have had a selection of books, if any at all. Many of the children would not have been taken to libraries so not only did they have the benefit of the stock, they also were developing borrowing skills, which would stand them in good stead for life in the future.
As for d), she did not think that a focus group could usefully contribute at this time, because it is so long since the cessation of the service.
So, that is one less job to do.
Perhaps it is not the children/s mobile library itself that increases literacy, but it is another tool to use in the promotion of literacy.
a) If there was any noticeable increase in literate behaviour by the children who came on board the Reading Rocket.
b) Is there any measurable data about the children's literacy that I can use.
c) What did the class/school/individuals, gain from the Reading Rocket visits.
d) Did she think I could get a focus group together to discuss the noticeable effects of the loss of the Reading Rocket.
Her comments on a) was that at this stage, a year on, it is difficult to judge such things, it is too much in retrospect. She suggested that the literate behaviour could be judged on a functioning children's mobile library, by taking a group of children aside and talking to them about books
(eg, how to handle a book, turn the pages, which way up it goes) at the start of the study, and then again at the end of the school year.
In her opinion, the measurable data (b)), would not show up any increase in literacy. Her school in particular have low reading ages, and there was no apparent increase in the general figures during the time of the Reading Rocket.
On the other hand, in answer to c) the children gained a great deal by the children's mobile library visits. Having a large selection of books from which they could make their own choices, without parental interference, was good. The high quality of the condition of the books was very important. Even the books that belonged to school were tattier. A clean, well looked after book is so much nicer to touch. Many of the households where their children originated would not have had a selection of books, if any at all. Many of the children would not have been taken to libraries so not only did they have the benefit of the stock, they also were developing borrowing skills, which would stand them in good stead for life in the future.
As for d), she did not think that a focus group could usefully contribute at this time, because it is so long since the cessation of the service.
So, that is one less job to do.
Perhaps it is not the children/s mobile library itself that increases literacy, but it is another tool to use in the promotion of literacy.
Monday, 8 December 2008
Pre-school mobile library in Carolina. "Just a Little Bus".
Pre-school mobile library in Carolina. "Just a Little Bus".
When I read this article I found a lot of parallels in this service to that of the Reading Rocket. "A little bus on wheels"is an article by Marian Lytle written in 1994 about a children's bookmobile in Carolina, America. This service, called "Stories to go" was started in 1990 by Rowan public libraries because of the popularity of the existing bookmobile's storytelling service. This appears to be the only part of the service that was expanding at the time because they were losing their rural visitors. It was logical for them to provide an exclusive service for pre-school children.This was achieved by linking up with the "Head Start" and other under fives centres. "Head Start" is the American inspiration for the British "Sure Start". Specialist staff were deployed to deliver the service, one bookmobile library assistant, and one part-time staff member from the outreach storytelling programme.
The goal for the bookmobile was to provide stories to increase literacy and library membership for the children so that they could borrow books to take home to their families. These are the same sentiments on which the Reading Rocket was started, specialist staff used to dealing with children, telling stories and rhymes to pre-school children, and older ones as well, visiting Sure-start centres, playgroups, nurseries as well as schools and older children. The Rocket's remit was larger, aiming to target the hard to reach groups in area's of disadvantage after school time.
Back to America. Philip Barton, the originator of the project, asserts that "Lifelong literacy is nurtured by warm memories of being read to as a child". The proposal to their managers was ""Stories to Go" promises that children who might have little chance to visit a full service library could now have access to books and programs on a regular basis." The vehicle was transformed by the work of prison inmates, on a work experience programme. The interior was designed with small people in mind, having low benches and display areas. It only cost seven and a half thousand dollars to do. That, however, used up most of their budget, so financial donations were need to provide the book stock. The Children's bookmobile visits each centre once a month where the staff present a 30 minute "Literature based program". The children with library cards choose a book to take home, those who do not can choose a book to keep in their preschool centre, which means that every single child has a opportunity to select a book. Their carers also have an opportunity to choose literacy activity materials to use with their groups.
There was a concern expressed by the daycare providers that they would be held responsible for the books children borrowed. We encountered exactly the same reaction when we started the Reading Rocket. It took some considerable reassurance that the books were not the responsibility of the schools, or the teachers, and that it was the complete responsibility of the library to reclaim library books and deal with defaced, lost or destroyed books. Rowan Public libraries dealt with the situation in the same way, a lot of reassurance that overdue notices would be sent out to parents, as for any child library member. Rowan public libraries did not fine late books, but accepted the cost of replacement books. The Reading Rocket did not deal with money at all, if a book was lost, that was it, the end of the matter. another similarity between the Reading rocket and "Stories to go " is the assumption by under fives staff that books that were taken home would not be appreciated, "no-one would read to them" and books were therefore not allowed to be taken home. Some teachers of schools to which the reading Rocket visited expressed fears that books taken home would be sold. A lot of trust needed to be built up between the school the child and the library.
After the "Stories to go" project was set up, they found that operational details needed to be adjusted to suit the circumstances. For instance they found it better to send library card to the child's home, keeping disposable ones on the vehicle. They also found providing the centres with storages boxes for the books helped them not to get lost. We found similar solutions to the same problems in the Reading Rocket. It would be interesting to find out if the "Stories to go" bookmobile is still in operation.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
I think I need a finer net
Well, so far I have got up to G and only found 3 more children's mobile libraries. One is a public library, one is a school library service vehicle, and the other is shared between to two services, which seems to be a jolly good idea to me. The children's mobile libary information seems to be hidden on many local council webpages, with little mention on the headings, just a snippet at the end of a page, or by following lots of links. It takes a lot of clicks to find some of them. Are councils trying to hide the fact that they exist? or are they considered unimportant? Could this be the difference between success and failure, is a higher profile needed? These and other questions need to be answered. So the latest fishes in my catch are Edinburgh City council's "Book Bus", Gloucestershire's shared vehicle and Doncaster's school library service vehicle. I knew of the existance of the Edinburgh vehicle which made me search the website to find mention of it. It was put in Access services, without a link to the mobile library area or the children's services area. I only found it by searching the main site.
I knew about it because the head of edinburgh City Libraries came to visit the Reading Rocket when I was working on it, to get some ideas of what the Edinburgh vehicle should be like. From the description of the vehicle it seems to be the most like the reading Rocket that I have seen so far. It mentions face on display of books, which was one of our hallmarks.
I knew about it because the head of edinburgh City Libraries came to visit the Reading Rocket when I was working on it, to get some ideas of what the Edinburgh vehicle should be like. From the description of the vehicle it seems to be the most like the reading Rocket that I have seen so far. It mentions face on display of books, which was one of our hallmarks.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
The power of reading
Stephen D. Krashen in "The Power of Reading" expresses that society demands more reading skills than it used to. Everything today is sign posted... with words. Supermarket aisles, road signs, notices on shops. People communicate through emails, chat sites, instant messaging and social networking, all require a reasonable command of words. Even text messages, with their coded short cuts. I know two individuals under the age thirty who disdain textish and write theirs in proper grammatical and sometimes lyrical English. According to Krashen extensive reading leads to good literary style and an improved general knowledge.
Children that read over the summer holidays, even if it is a small amount, gain a cumulative effect of increased literacy. Libraries understand the importance of this and for about five or six years there has been national summer reading challenges for children attending libraries. The challenges seem to be increasingly popular and focus staff on providing books and activities for children and younger people. When the Reading Rocket (Derby City Libraries' Children's mobile library) was operational, It took books and the summer reading challenge, out into the deepest parts of inner Derby, where not all our clients participated, but even finished the challenge, but they had books to read. Yesterday I found a book written in 1967 that devotes a chapter to the sort of services a mobile library should provide for children. (Mobile Libraries;- and other public library transport by C R Eastwood) He suggest that libraries with spare vehicles, staff and books (in your dreams Mr Eastwood) during the summer holidays should have a special holiday mobile library. Apparently there were successful schemes in Nottinghamshire, Shropshire and East Suffolk.
Krashen also writes a lot about how reading can help someone develop a second language. Many places that the Reading Rocket visited had children from different countries, parts of Asia, eastern Europe and Africa, all doing very well with English and translating for their parents. He states that children do better when parents read to them, Surely this would also improve the parents literacy. He thinks that if there is more books in a Child's home, they will read more. (page 57 gives more examples). He considers access to public libraries means more reading and crucially, it is the child's own choice of book that matters MORE that what the book is.
Children that read over the summer holidays, even if it is a small amount, gain a cumulative effect of increased literacy. Libraries understand the importance of this and for about five or six years there has been national summer reading challenges for children attending libraries. The challenges seem to be increasingly popular and focus staff on providing books and activities for children and younger people. When the Reading Rocket (Derby City Libraries' Children's mobile library) was operational, It took books and the summer reading challenge, out into the deepest parts of inner Derby, where not all our clients participated, but even finished the challenge, but they had books to read. Yesterday I found a book written in 1967 that devotes a chapter to the sort of services a mobile library should provide for children. (Mobile Libraries;- and other public library transport by C R Eastwood) He suggest that libraries with spare vehicles, staff and books (in your dreams Mr Eastwood) during the summer holidays should have a special holiday mobile library. Apparently there were successful schemes in Nottinghamshire, Shropshire and East Suffolk.
Krashen also writes a lot about how reading can help someone develop a second language. Many places that the Reading Rocket visited had children from different countries, parts of Asia, eastern Europe and Africa, all doing very well with English and translating for their parents. He states that children do better when parents read to them, Surely this would also improve the parents literacy. He thinks that if there is more books in a Child's home, they will read more. (page 57 gives more examples). He considers access to public libraries means more reading and crucially, it is the child's own choice of book that matters MORE that what the book is.
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