SATURDAY -- I am playing catch up so that my first few entries will be from the past week. I started my internship on a Saturday morning. I reported for work at 10am and got a tour of the library from the Children's Room manager, Teresa. She gave me a short orientation on what was expected of me and she pretty much said the rest I could learn by shadowing the reference librarians.
At 10:30am we started "Play With Me," which is storytelling time for toddlers (18 mos. - 2 years). Teresa did the storytelling by starting the program with singing and dancing. After a few songs, she went on with the storytelling. When this was over, toys and games were brought out for toddlers and parents to play with.
I sat as an observer. Being shy myself, my first thought was "Oh No!!! Later in the internship, will they ask me to do the singing, dancing and storytelling?" Well, perhaps it's just first day jitters that made me think this way. I have never worked in a public library, much more a in a children's library. I am hopeful that as days go by, I'll get better with this kind of librarianship.
After Play With Me, I sat at the reference desk shadowing Teresa and Arpine, one of the librarians, as they helped patrons. I also sat at one of the terminals to learn how to use their online catalog, not just to find books but also to be able to request them from other libraries, placing a hold on them and adding patrons on waiting lists.
In the afternoon, another storytelling program went underway and it was geared towards children 4 yrs and older. Today's theme was "In Like a Lion." After storytelling, there was arts and crafts wherein the children, with the help of their parents made lion masks out of paperplates, colored paper, chopsticks and crayons.
I learned a lot on my first day but I know that there is so much more I need to know about children's librarianship. I need to familiarize myself with the collection if I am to help children find books in this library. What struck me when I observed Teresa do the two programs was that there are families out there who take advantage of the wonderful opportunities libraries provide to the community. I was amazed of the ethnic backgrounds of those who came in - Armenians, Koreans, Persians, Mexicans...but wait, where were the Filipinos...my people? I guess I will have to put word out there to my family and friends that there are such programs available. Not only are they educational...the best part is that they are FREE of charge!!!
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