Topic: Annual Adult Program Swap

Thursday, September 19, 2024
Location: O'Neal Library
Topic: Annual Adult Program Swap

Attendees:
Shannon, Hoover
Ashley, Gardendale
Cara, Center Point
Holley, O'Neal
Rebecca, Trussville
Lora, Vestavia Hills
Leslie, Avondale
Laura, Springville Road

Began by discussing the upcoming 2025 ASRT planned schedule. In January, the Addiction Prevention Coalition will be at Hoover to provide Narcan training and to discuss possibly putting Narcan stations in and around our community. (You may have seen these stations in high traffic areas like at the beach.) This is very valuable training for all JCLC employees. The session will be in-person and livestreamed on Thursday, January 16th at 10 am. 

The only thing that I was unable to fit into the 2025 ASRT schedule that I really want to do is a session with the Alabama Career Coach, Courtney Monnette. She did a session at JCPLA Staff Day about how they utilize AI tools to help patrons create cover letters, resumes and other tools for obtaining jobs. I think this might be scheduled as a separate Zoom session during the year. I hope we find a time where everyone that was unable to attend Staff Day can participate.

I compiled a handout of adult programming brainstorming. It is included here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lora at VH had success doing a program on Geocaching. She set up two caches within and around the library. She took about 15 minutes to explain the basics of geocaching then they looked for the two caches. She utilized the 3-D printer to create something unique. There is an official geocache website that you register with in which to find things all over the globe. There is also a local organization, AL Geocachers Assn, that might be able to help if you are interested in the topic. This discussion led to a question of why don't the libraries invest in pressed penny dispensers! We also discussed how, if geared towards family, geocaching could utilize STEM for educating the young - mapping, historical references, etc.

Anyone have contacts to start a quilting class? Recommendation to call Bib & Tucker Sew-op, the program lead at the Sew-Op is Sonya Muhammad, sonya@bibandtuckersewop.org. They not only do quilting but other sewing-centered programs all around the state. Also, Homewood Senior Center has a great quilting class. Laura Gentry mentioned that there are quilting classes within the BPL system. For example the East Jefferson Quilting Society has a contact that might have recommendations. Five Pts West, Springville Road, and East Ensley all have quilting programs.

Hugely popular is the bi-monthly House Plant Swap at the Hoover Library. Just be cautious as to how you run them. There are people that will take advantage of the kindness of others and walk away with more than their share. We set up FREE tables and TRADE tables, meaning these people want to trade plants. I do most of the advertising for these swaps on the FB group "Birmingham Houseplant Community".

Book Scavenger Hunt for families such as "Find an Orange book on the shelf" or "Find a book that has 'magical' in the title". Something fun to keep people looking throughout the library. A passive engagement activity. Laura did one during summer reading for families and her advice was to have varying heights of where things are located so kids and adults can participate. Another passive engagement mentioned by Cara was that her coworker hid QR codes around the library that played various bird songs. The adults were very engaged with this activity.

This led to a discussion on Dr. Scot Duncan who has published a new book, Southern Rivers. He is also the executive director of AL Audubon. He has gotten permission to go around the state promoting the book and Audubon. He is a great speaker and really engages with the audience. He's already been to several libraries. O'Neal had AL Audubon come to the library for a bird walk. Everyone was encouraged to bring binoculars and identified birds in the area.

Has any library worked with Yelp before? Hoover Library was approached by Jasmine Shaw, Birmingham Community Manager, to help engage people at the library with Yelpers (social influencers kind of) at events created and put on by Yelp. So far, they helped with our Barbie celebration and a Murder Mystery event. Both were very well attended - they want to do events for kids and adults. I don't know if they will continue to work with our library or if they plan to expand the program but since they do all the work of planning and putting on each program, we welcome the help! Stay tuned for more on this!

Swaps! O'Neal Library recently had a successful clothing swap done by Amanda Westfall - she goes all out and accepts clothing, jewelry, purses, shoes, etc. for men, women and others. It does take a lot of planning and space to provide these events but can be well worth the effort. Perhaps a swap for just professional clothing? Hoover had their annual arts/craft supply swap last month and it was also a great hit. I am also trying out a Holiday Ornament Swap this December to see what that might be like.

Puzzle Competitions! Trussville has held two successful competitions and Hoover has had one. We'd be glad to share how to plan one and how to purchase many copies of the same puzzle! I actually had a Zoom meeting with "SarahDoesPuzzles" who is a professional puzzler - she sent me all kinds of information on which puzzles to use and how to set them up. Here are two links:

List of puzzles used in other competitions ranked on how fast they were. This is helpful to see which puzzle images are easier to do. Info on rules and other helpful tips on hosting a competition. Also has a link to send in a form with info about your contest so they can promote it.

Here's a link to the puzzle Hoover used "Bookish Cats" https://shorturl.at/TWnY6 Puzzles are also a great passive engagement activity for adults!

Recommended by Holley: Consider hiring former librarian Molly McFarland (molliemc527@gmail.com) for some adult programs! She has done needle felting, story times, etc. If you have anything in mind, she can develop a program. Being a former librarian, she knows how to run a successful program. Also, Gareth Jones (utahgarethjones@gmail.com), film professor at UAB who also does Sleep In Cinema for Substrate Radio at Saturn. He can do most anything concerns film. He is very engaging and has his own following wherever he goes. He's also a part of the "No Longer Silent" film series, which scores silent films and shows them around the community with a live DJ. 

Hoover is having the Auburn Extension Service, Lynn Dickinson, do a program about bats in October. Lynn is bringing a bat experts PowerPoint and learning what she can because, guess what?, securing a bat expert in October is next to impossible!!! Here is her contact information because she can always help you come up with fun, educational programs:

Lynn Dickinson,Regional Extension Agent, Forestry, Wildlife & Natural Resources, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University,

Office  334.270.4133

Cell  334.703.4877

Email  rhodela@auburn.edu   Trussville Library had Wood Manor Theatre & Events (https://www.facebook.com/WoodManorTheatre/) do a Murder Mystery dinner with an '80s prom theme. The Library has to provide food for "dinner" but the group does everything else. Very popular program and it might work elsewhere. As we all know, doing these with library staff gets very involved and is labor intensive.    Leslie at Avondale (also at West End) called Memory Cafe, which started out as a program for those with cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer patients, etc. to gather and an outlet for the caregivers. They plan activities that engage their core memories. It has expanded to cognitive enrichment for all older adults. These activities and groups have been proven through research to help all older adults. Libraries sometimes theme their programs (such as WWII) or not. Avondale's program will have an adult story time, music and activities (they have about 15 participants). They have also hired Frannie James to do Chair Yoga (she also does chair yoga around the community and at the Hoover Library - very popular! Frannie James Yoga, franniejamesyoga@gmail.com, Chair Yoga for Every Body, https://franniejamesyoga.com/.  Leslie also offers a passive engagement/enrichment activity. Developed by Ellen Shade at Avondale, these are advertised as adult activity packages. One is on Agatha Christie and includes QR codes to different pieces of information such as "Inside the Mind of AC" or "Open University Free Course on AC", biographical information and much more. They also try to include a recipe, cute bookmarks for them to cut out and keep, crossword puzzles, a word search and a coloring sheet. They are packaged up very nicely and are becoming very popular. (I can't really include visuals for these but email Leslie and perhaps she'll send you an example via courier!!) Her current activity pack is on Ghost Stories! They used Canva to assemble the packets. Speaking of which... "How to Canva" is something every library could successfully do for patrons, either one-on-one or in a group setting. Free Canva is a very useful tool. Laura at Springville actually has a graphic designer that teaches Canva. Here's the contact info on that generous graphic designer: Graphic Designer Canva Karena Turner  205-756-0401 karenat222@gmail.com Mahjong, Bingo, Trivia, D & D, Bunco Clubs, Game Nights, Chess Clubs, what else?? SINGO!! You can invite ArchWell Health to your library to hold Bingo, but with music = Singo! You can ask for '80s music theme or Christmas and they will plan it all! ArchWell Health has two offices in Birmingham in Roebuck and Midfield and their employees go everywhere around the city. Here's the contact info for Archwell: Archwell Health Amber Russell  205-903-2398 amber.russell@archwellhealth.com Lora is going to start adult video gaming for those growing out of the teen activities with Mario Bros and others that are popular. Legend of Zelda and Donkey Kong, anyone?? (I've seen a need for these not-quite-adults. We should all keep them in our planning for programs!) Challenges for the new year: Holley is going to try to incorporate Bingo. Cara is going to try an audio book challenge. Gain points for listening to audio books and 20-minutes of walking, points for coming to discussion sessions, all leading to a grand prize drawing. This led to Laura talking about something they did at Springville Road called "Walk & Tech" where patrons learn about a new app and how it benefits them (ex. Libby, a pedometer, health-related apps, etc.). They had quite a following after a month of doing this. November, Hoover is trying out Friends Speed Dating based off an event at Ontario libraries. Here's the article I'm basing it off of: https://ontarianlibrarian.com/2016/02/14/friend-speed-dating-library-program-for-2030s/. I will let you know how it goes - or you are welcome to come!!!! Here's our event description: https://events.hooverlibrary.org/event/11077161 Don't forget the email sent out by Catherine Oseas Champion, head of BPL Archives: the Alabama Historical Association has an inexpensive speakers bureau (https://www.alabamahistory.net/speakersbureau). Jim Baggett, now retired from BPL, can do programs too. BirminghamBaggett@gmail.com. If you don't have money for programming, there are free options or cheap options for programming. Mailboxes at Christmas, Holley said O'Neal had over 85 people come to a program on how to craft a Christmas bouquet for the top of mailboxes. People get intense in Mountain Brook about their mailboxes!! You never know! Flower arranging and wreath making (Marilyn Chiaramonte at ibreatheiwreathe@gmail.com) are equally popular.   Leslie from Avondale discussed her ongoing Memory Cafe program. Memory care is specialized care designed for older adults living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia.   Please post your ideas for programs. Include contacts if you have them. And I look forward to seeing you all at our last 2024 ASRT meeting which will be on TUESDAY, November 19th at 10 am via Zoom. Our topic will be collection browseability, wayfinding, organization tips, display tips for boosting circulation and creating a better user experience! Boy, that's a mouthful! I'm going to need some help on this one!!! The meeting will be via Zoom. More details closer to time!