The-Librarian-Blog

This was our busiest September to date at the Chambers County Library System with over 20,000 items circulated.

September began with programs catered to our tiniest patrons.  Storytime and Babygarten started the week of September 6^th at all the libraries with crowds that didn’t disappoint.  Our traditional storytime programs feature songs, stories, crafts and activities for the 6 and under crowd, while our newest program Babygarten, focuses on music, rhymes, and developmental skills for babies up to 24 months.  Babygarten has proven to be a huge success, and the children’s staff is to be commended for the fantastic job they have done planning and implementing programs for each of these age groups.  Newest children’s staff member Jinnie McClennan and Teen Programmer Shelby Fielding attended a Transforming Preschool Storytime workshop where they learned some tips on early literacy skills and engaging children with stories. 

On the 19th we held our annual Summer Reading planning meeting. This meeting (which used to be held in February) is our first attempt to strategize and brainstorm ideas for the upcoming summer reading program. Key staff from all the branches attended and shared ideas for programs, received important deadline dates, and talked about new ideas that we can incorporate for the next year.

Zydeco dance classes were back by popular demand at Anahuac on the 8^th.  Staff member LaShebia Haskin held a Basic Zydeco dance class to get Anahuac residents prepared for Gatorfest.  The meeting room was packed with people learning the basic twists and turns.  Another class is scheduled for November. 

Homeschool programs are now offered at each branch in the system.  Anahuac’s monthly craft club allows for students of all ages to get creative with unique crafts.  Winnie and Mont Belvieu hold a monthly geography program featuring a specific country each month.  Fun facts and activities are shared with the group as they travel to different countries each month.  Mont Belvieu also held a Homeschool Orientation for anyone interested in learning more about library resources available to the public.  Providing programs for homeschoolers has proven to give families in the area different opportunities in their day-to-day learning.   Nothing we do is curriculum based, but done to supplement the home education done by parents.  Our job as librarians is to provide the space, the resources, and promote library services to all groups that come in the library.  

County Librarian Valerie Jensen taught a book mending class for staff members assigned to repair books.  There are several specialized techniques for repairing books with torn pages, broken spines, and even tattered corners.  Special supplies are ordered yearly so that we can prolong the life of some of our most popular books. 

The Chambers County Library in Anahuac and Juanita Hargraves Memorial Branch in Winnie held Hispanic Heritage Month programs for the public, which is traditionally celebrated September 15-October 15.  Traditional foods, crafts, and music were enjoyed, while the staff presented facts about the five Latin American countries that celebrate their independence each year.  Both programs had packed rooms and it was great to see patrons come together and be educated on heritage and culture. 

September 25 - October 1 was Banned Books Week for libraries across the nation.  Banned Books Week was celebrated, so to speak, at all three libraries, with very interesting, and different, displays at each site. The displays tended to generate discussion by the patrons with the staff, some of it not quite what we might have expected!  But that, of course, is part of the whole effort behind Banned Books Week – to get people talking about censorship, the books that have been challenged, and to get them thinking about their own opinions of the same.

In personnel news, Kellee Traylor joins the CCLS team at the Mont Belvieu location.  Kellee will be providing front desk relief as well as assisting with programs as needed.  Kellee’s first day was on the 28^th so stop by and say hi!

In historical news, A. Lynette Parsons was hired as a part-time employee to help take on the task of digitizing and cataloging historical items from the museum and library.  The library acts as a liaison to the Historical Commission and with the museum temporarily closed, this allows us to bring some order to the items inside the building so that the public can have access to viewing images, artifacts, and documents that have been hidden away for many years.  

Until next month!