How could you NOT want to follow the Cat in the Hat to the library?? And you just know that once you arrive, there is sure to be all kinds of great things to check out! (Spoiler Alert: Yes there are!)
It’s always so fun to visit member libraries – and just check out how cute this one is! This elementary school is set up to meet the needs of shorter patrons, who want bright colors and lots of fun things to look at. Mission accomplished!
Look there, to the left in this picture. See that lofted area?? I love that! When I was a teeny kid I definitely would have loved to go spend time up there, reading my books and having tons of library fun! (Okay, I’m not currently teeny, but still went up there and enjoyed it!)
Sorry, this is not a great photo of it, but this is what you find when you head up to the reading platform. How fun would this be??? Kids can recline in their camp chairs, and enjoy their crafted “fire” in the center of the circle of chairs. (Okay, at this point I practically had to be dragged away to admire other things, because I really wanted to sit down and read books. You can’t possibly blame me for that!)
Then, underneath that platform is even more cool stuff! Check out these cute little chairs, and all the bright colors. Thinking about setting up places to encourage patrons, of any age, to want to settle in and read, enjoying the library, is a great thing for libraries to try! (Sorry, I didn’t scrunch down to try this area; but it did look great for people shorter and more flexible than me!)
I have never seen this bin before, but I love it! In many libraries there are spaces set aside for patrons to plop down books they have browsed but decided not to take home. It is usually easier to keep the shelves orderly if library staffers re-shelve books; and it is an easy way to see what kinds of things people are actually looking at. This bin is cute and catchy for kid-sized patrons to reach and to use!
When I visited, the library was getting ready for summer vacation, and I fell in love with this adorable display! (I love to camp, and I love s’mores, so it was a pretty easy sell for me to love it.) The library was carrying over the camping theme across the entire place – and using the marshmallows to help count down toward summer is such a fun way to engage patrons!
I’m such a fan of displays in the library! They can really cheer up any room, make it feel more vibrant, and add some information to a section of a library. Here, not only do kids get a quick alphabet reminder (always handy when searching for books in order), but also a quick reminder on what fiction is, and an easy-to-see reminder of where the chapter books are shelved. All of this, and some cheerful, fun colors!
Likewise, the nonfiction books also have bright colors, cute pictures, and bright, attention-grabbing colors!And I always like to see bins, or containers of books. It’s our job to make it as easy as possible for patrons, of any age, to find the perfect book and to take it home. Assembling and labeling them can do just that!
Libraries are more than books! While I do not believe this adorable stuff whale was actually available to be checked out, he does provide a great visual demonstration of the coolness of the whale book above it!
It has been so fun to visit our members! We want to visit all of you, so if we have not been to your library yet – email us! We want to come over and admire your stuff!!