Publicity is Publicity

I had a simple summer activity this week: provide the children with chalk and popsicles and let them decorate our library sidewalks. This was the easiest and most UN-elaborate activity I had this summer yet the local paper called and asked if they could come to the activity and photograph it. I told them it was basically an "open house" of kids coming to draw and eat popsicles and suggested a more involved and exciting activity coming up soon they could attend yet I suspect there was a deadline involved.




So they came late AFTER most of the kids had left and after I had left for a meeting. Thus they had to gather the kids who drew the art back from inside the building to pose in front of their art. They later called me for a quote which I had to give them while a patron stood in front of the desk, staring at me, waiting for help. Oh well, publicity is publicity.

I Can See Into Your Future

To celebrate Harry Potter and the Half-blood prince movie coming out, our library had a Harry Potter party last week. We divided the activity into several classes based on the books: "Care of Magical Creatures", "Defense against the Dark Arts", "Potions", and "Charms and Divination."

I was to be Professor Trelawney over Charms and Divination. I took three pie pans and filled them up with a mixture of laundry detergent and milk. Then I had the children put a few drops of food coloring in and spin the mixture with their hand. It makes a cool, dreamy, effect in the pan. Next I would peer into the mixture and pretend to think deeply. Then I would come up with the most outrageous fortune I could think off the top of my head: "you will take a trip to Paris...Paris, Idaho", "You have a long lost twin sister in Australia," "You will have three visitors, young men, The Jonas brothers will visit your home," "You will get a new pet, a pet that likes water, a very big pet, You will get a pet hippo." And on it went.

The children really enjoyed the fortunes. They kept clamoring "me next! me next!" Although there was one boy who didn't like his fortune. I decided to have a little fun with this 7-8 year old boy and said he was going to meet...a girl...who would like him. This, of course, disgusted him and he went stomping off. Maybe if he was just a few years older he would be asking me: "Now what does she look like?"

Goodbye Charlotte

After more than a year of having our library pet tarantula Charlotte, next week we are bidding a fond farewell to her. Or should I say I am bidding a fond farewell to her, the others are not too sad she is leaving. She was my pet more than anyone else, I fed her, changed her bedding, gave her water and took her out on presentations. I have to admit I will miss the big creepy gal.

But now we are getting a new pet. After months of deliberations, and then a split second decision in the pet store, we decided on a water dragon. I am abdicating responsibility for this pet's care. I am done with taking care of library pets and worrying if they will be dead when I come back from the weekend. I am going to do hardly none of the work and take all of the glory talking about the water dragon to the children as if I'm some expert on lizardology. I really know nothing about water dragons now, I should bone up on information since children always ask SO many questions like: What does it eat? Is it a girl or a boy? How big will it get? Hey, that last one is a good question. Hmmm...