The Benefits of Programming

This week’s class discussion on programming was definitely interesting as I think a large portion of what libraries have the potential to offer and many times fail to do is go beyond being a room of books and become a more inviting place to be. I think this is especially true of school libraries which have a greater opportunity to interact with their patrons because they are easier to access than in a public library. From observing at different high schools around the city I have seen a wide range of librarian involvement from those who sit in their office all day rarely interacting with a student to ones who spend the entire day running around helping and being involved. When I was in high school, the library was a place where no one would go if they had a free period because making any noise would result in you being thrown out. As far as interaction between library staff and students besides the frequent “please quiet down or you will have to leave” there was very little, no collaborative projects or any after school activities. After observing different types of school libraries the ones I was most impressed with and had the most fun being in where the ones with heavy librarian involvement and allowed teenagers to act like teenagers while in the library. Seeing all the creative ideas that fellow classmates came up with was a wonderful experience to see especially for the more challenging books which still generated interesting activities. Going beyond checking out books and actually creating programs is a great way to create positive interaction with patrons while also providing teens with activities that will allow them to learn something new, create something or just have a good time with their friends.