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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Kid wrangler


The Peninsula Library offers summer programs for children twice a week. I’ve known this for years; the parking lot overflows Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer.

My grandchildren love libraries and seem especially fond of the Peninsula library.  They all have been in to transfer their ClevNet cards to the library and be introduced around to the staff. 

I’m in the library at least every two weeks, on township business (a public place to post township minutes [Ohio Revised Code]) and I’m often stopped at the desk by “I have books on hold for Emily (Laura, Hamilton)” and I leave with a sack of books.  In between I return sacks of books.

Earlier this spring the librarian in charge of children’s programs stopped me and asked if Emily would be interested in volunteering for the summer.  “Of course she would,” her grandmother replied.  And, she was.

The job is keeping small children interested, involved, focused and fed, all in ninety minutes.   It starts half an hour earlier, set up, and ends half an hour later, clean up. The director of the library says the job title is Kid Wrangler.

Last week there was a magician.  Today the Akron Zoo was there with half a dozen animals for the children to admire.  Laura told me all the names, but, of course, I can’t remember. Emily said they put out fifty cups and used forty seven plus one kid who didn't have a snack, and that's how they count kids.

In two weeks Emily has been asked to help out at another volunteer job, and given a library job application to have on file in the event a paying summer job opens.

I drop them on my way to work.  They walk two blocks to the town hall when Emily is done, and we come home for lunch.


The kid wrangler and her skippy little sister; one to work and one to be in the audience.

23 comments:

  1. What a great job! I think library's are a great place for kids and adults alike.

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  2. What a fantastic job opportunity.

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  3. It is thrilling to me that they love the library!

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  4. Keeping small children interested, involved, focused and fed for 90 minutes! Now there is one difficult assignment.

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  5. My father was big into reading to his kids and education in general, and it is only now that I wonder why it was we never got a library habit. I should have been one of those kids coming home every two weeks with a stack of books, but instead I just kept re-reading what was on our shelves.

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  6. Joanne--I saw your comment on Pearl's blog. Koningsberg's book was one of my favorites growing up. I thought it would be so cool to make a museum my home, wade in the fountains, and so on...

    You brought some good memories my way this evening. Thanks.

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  7. What good kids they are! You are giving them a wonderful background in being socially responsible and intellectually curious.

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  8. That's a good idea, kids are making friends and learning the joy of reading.
    Merle.......

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  9. That sounds wonderful and you won't have to listen to them complain how bored they are during the summer months.

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  10. Now that is a fun summer! Ok, read your comment. That big __0 is coming up in December. Jody, The Medicare Mom

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  11. Oh, to work in a library (which I used to) ...they are amazing places.
    Jane x

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  12. This sounds just wonderful, Joanne! And I think it's great that they love the library!

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  13. Fantastic job - and fantastic grandmother. And libraries are one of the absolute BEST places. Each and every one of them.

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  14. Modern libraries are so different from the ones of my childhood, they were hushed, serious places and I adored them. Modern life calls for a different approach. Well done those girls!

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  15. My son the librarian will be proud to hear about this.

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  16. Libraries are wonderful and so great that your granddaughter is taking an active part in yours. My wife works at the local high school library and we have a personal library of about four hundred books. Our grandchildren love to spend hours there as we have two very long shelves of children's books.

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  17. how lucky those kids are to have you for a grandparent.

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  18. I would hav3e loved to do something like that when I was young (or now, for that matter). She's so lucky.

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  19. Kid Wrangler, eh? ... I know someone else who could be called that, too - just with older kids ... her grandkids, actually ...

    Good for Emily, good for skippy little sister, and good for Grandma :)

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  20. Well done to Emily and to you. How wonderful to actually be asked to volunteer at the library, they obviously have great faith in her which is a huge compliment to you both.

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  21. I would have loved to work in a library, but couldn't get even a volunteer spot. Things must be different out here.
    Kid Wrangler is a great name.

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  22. How wonderful for her. And how wonderful that you recognized the opportunity!

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