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G2S Project Code: 2017-OK-79065
State: Oklahoma
Fiscal Year: 2017
Grantee
OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES

Project Director
Director Name: Adrienne Butler
Director Phone: 405-522-3323
Director Email: adrienne.butler@libraries.ok.gov
General Information
Title: Summer Reading Program
State Project Code: 173101
Start Date: 10/01/2016
End Date: 09/30/2018
Abstract: The Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) implemented a 2018 Music Summer Reading Program, a statewide project to encourage children and teens to read during the summer  break. The Children and Youth Coordinator hired two workshop presenters for six workshops, purchased summer reading materials, and initiated and maintained partnerships and sponsorship's from statewide businesses and nonprofit organizations.

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries instituted a new approach to the Music Summer Reading Workshops for 2018.  The Children and Youth Coordinator hired two professional educators to conduct the workshops with a focus on increasing the knowledge and skills of public librarians by broadening the ideas for activities and programs.  These included early literacy story-time skills, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) projects relating to music and numerous decorating ideas.  These workshops targeted public librarians participating in the Oklahoma Summer Reading Program.

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries purchased summer reading materials for participating Oklahoma public libraries. These materials gave Oklahoma public libraries a firm foundation for their summer reading program. With the fundamental materials provided by the grant, libraries could use funds from their city, friends of the library groups, donations, and local business sponsorship's and partnerships to hire performers and provide incentives for the participant’s enjoyment.




State Goal: Goal 3: Lifelong Learning
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$76,302.31
$0.00
$10,000.00
$86,302.31
Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Reading Program (Summer Reading)
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Summer Reading Workshops
Narrative:


Two professionals were hired to present six educational workshops for librarians participating in the Summer Reading Program.  

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) Youth Services Consultant requested bids for presenters for the 2018 Summer Reading Workshops.  As required by Oklahoma State law, ODL submitted an open bid. Bidders were requested to include a hands-on component, to “show-and-tell” a finished and/or partially finished craft, and program ideas and display and decoration ideas to promote the Music Summer Reading theme. Although the bidding window was extended to allow more bids, only four bids were received. The ODL Youth Services Consultant judged the bids on the following criteria: originality of ideas and creativity of ideas; ease of reproducing ideas; and overall impact or the level of enjoyment in recreating ideas. The Youth Services Consultant awarded contracts to Jennifer Strass and Will Stuck. The ODL Youth Services Consultant, Strauss, and Stuck met, utilizing Google Hangouts, to review presentation expectations, travel plans, and the division of co-presenting, as neither Strauss nor Stuck had previously worked together. Six libraries hosted the workshops: Elk City Public Library, Muskogee Public Library, Allen Public Library, Moore Public Library, Enid Public Library, and Guymon Public Library. In addition, Elk City hosted workshop participants virtually. The Youth Services Consultant, through partnership with Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, produced an online streaming of the workshop.

Jennifer Strauss, a storyteller, literacy coach, and narrative consultant from Michigan, tours nationally, offering performances, workshops, keynotes, and training for all ages, preschool to adult, using storytelling as the common denominator. Strauss completed her twenty-fifth (25) year of interactive programs for Summer Reading themes. 

Will Stuck spent twenty-four (24) years working for public libraries, with twenty of those years providing services to children and the last seventeen as a Children’s Services Manager for the St. Joseph Public Library in St. Joseph, Missouri. Both presenters received enthusiastic evaluations and delivered useful and skill-building information to the workshop participants.

The Oklahoma public librarians determined the co-presentation by Strauss and Stuck to be helpful in planning their Summer Reading Program and programs for children and teens throughout the year. A couple of librarians reported the presenters provided 'useful programming tips' that they will use in year around programming. Another found the workshop to be their “favorite class by far for summer reading” based on previous years workshops.  The inclusion of “more decorating ideas and theme related crafts” was also mentioned favorably.” One librarian said that they “truly learned from Jennifer Strauss about how to become a better storyteller.” A librarian singled out the “good ideas for making musical instruments, window scenes, desk decorations for limited space, the milk jug igloo, Kool-Aid henna tattoo, and sidewalk art ideas” as good ideas she believed the children would really enjoy. Overall, the Music Summer Reading Workshops co-presented by Strauss and Stuck was successful in meeting the skills and needs of Oklahoma public librarians.


Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Program
Format: In-person


Quantity
Session length (minutes): 350
Number of sessions in program: 1
Average number in attendance per session: 25
Number of times program administered: 5


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 214 EAST BROADWAY
City: ALLEN
State: OK
Zip: 74825
Name: ELK CITY CARNEGIE LIBRARY
Address: 221 WEST BROADWAY AVE
City: ELK CITY
State: OK
Zip: 73644
Name: ENID-PUBLIC LIBRARY OF ENID AND GARFIELD CO
Address: 120 W. MAINE
City: ENID
State: OK
Zip: 73701
Name: GUYMON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 1718 N Oklahoma
City: GUYMON
State: OK
Zip: 73942
Name: MOORE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 225 S HOWARD
City: MOORE
State: OK
Zip: 73160
Name: MUSKOGEE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 801 W Okmulgee
City: Muskogee
State: OK
Zip: 74401
Question 1: I learned something by participating in this library activity.
Strongly Agree: 32
Agree: 22
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 3
Question 2: I feel more confident about what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 26
Agree: 29
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 2
Non-Response: 0
Question 3: I intend to apply what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 22
Agree: 32
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 2
Non-Response: 1
Question 4: Applying what I learned will help improve library services to the public.
Strongly Agree: 27
Agree: 28
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 2
Non-Response: 0
Activity Details
Title: Summer Reading Materials
Narrative: The Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) purchased materials for participating Oklahoma public libraries for their 2018 Music Summer Reading Program. Two hundred and twelve municipal and system branch libraries requested over 9,500 summer reading items that supported their activities and programs. These materials included reading logs and certificates, bookmarks, posters, and stickers for children, teens, and early literacy. ODL is a member of the Collaborative Summer Library Program and all items were purchased through their vendor, Upstart/Demco. Award-winning artist Brian Pinkey, (In the Time of the Drums and Duke Ellington) created the artwork for the early literacy and children’s materials. Larry Jones, known for his work with Target, National Geographic, and Scholastic created art for the teen and adult materials.


Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Content
Mode: Acquisition
Format: Combined physical & digital


Quantity
Number of hardware acquired: 0
Number of software acquired: 0
Number of licensed databases acquired: 0
Number of print materials (books & government documents) acquired: 129
Number of electronic materials acquired: 224
Number of audio/visual units (audio discs, talking books, other recordings) acquired: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Urban
Suburban
Rural
For what age groups: 0-5 years
6-12 years
13-17 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: No


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 214
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 0
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
The success of the 2018 Summer Reading Workshops encouraged Oklahoma public librarians to provide new and exciting activities and programs to the children and teens they served. Past Summer Reading Workshops workshops were in the spring, late February to late March, each year. The librarians requested future workshops in the fall as many librarians had already finalized their programs by spring. While they found spring workshops helpful, fall workshops would benefit those who started planning earlier in the year. This request was received from both the large system libraries and small rural libraries. Over 66,000 children between the ages of five and eleven participated in the Summer Reading Program. Twenty thousand two hundred twenty six (20,226) infants and toddlers under the age of four, attended Summer Reading story-times and age-related activities. Of Oklahoma teens, ages 12 to 18, 24,202 attended programs designed specifically for them.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
In response to the request from the Oklahoma public librarians for Summer Reading Workshops to be held in the fall, the Youth Services Consultant began planning fall 2018 workshops for the 2019 Space Summer Reading Program. The Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) requested permission to open a bid for presenters and scheduled workshop dates and locations during the summer of 2018. The Youth Services Consultant promoted the new fall Summer Reading Workshops on the Children and Young Adult Librarian listserv during the summer months and continued throughout the fall. The Department of Libraries developed new partnerships with the Oklahoma City Zoo and Hunger Free Oklahoma, a non-profit, feeding Oklahoma youth. The Oklahoma City (OKC) Zoo was a multi-partnership with the Zoo and the Metropolitan Library System (MLS). In 2017, the Zoo collaborated with MLS to write, illustrate and publish “Our Day at the Zoo,” a children’s picture book about a school’s visit to the zoo. MLS branch libraries received copies of the book for children to check out and read. When they returned the book, their family received a free pass to the Oklahoma City Zoo. The success of the program on a city/county level inspired the Zoo to collaborate with the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) to provide this opportunity to all public libraries who planned to participate in the Summer Reading Program. These libraries received two (2) copies of the book and zoo entrance vouchers. Beginning May 1, 2018, children could check out the book and upon return, receive free entrance for four to the OKC Zoo. Hunger Free Oklahoma was the second new partnership for the 2018 Music Summer Reading Program. This partnership provided information and coordination addressing food insecurity for children under eighteen (18) during the summer months when schools are closed. The Summer Food Service Program through the Oklahoma Department of Education provided funding for the program; Hunger Free Oklahoma representatives spoke at the Summer Reading Workshops and disseminated information explaining how the libraries could join local sponsor organizations, churches, and schools to offer this service to community children. While presenting at the Summer Reading Workshops, the Hunger Free Oklahoma representatives learned that many libraries in Oklahoma currently collaborate with a local organization and provide snacks during the school year. Other librarians, on their own, were in the planning stages to become a site to provide meals and snacks during the summer months. The partnership with ODL expanded the number of participating libraries in the Hunger Free Oklahoma program in 2018.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
The Youth Services Consultant will continue to offer open bidding for the annual Summer Reading workshops. The co-presented workshops were met with appreciation and enthusiasm by the Oklahoma public librarians. The librarians were encouraged to try new ideas and enjoyed absorbing the professional expertise from both presenters. The Youth Services Consultant recognized that hiring presenters brought fresh, innovative ideas that librarians were excited to implement at their libraries.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
Yes
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Project Staff
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Review Surveys
Did you collect any media for the data:
Photos
Videos
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
Other: Those libraries who received materials for the Oklahoma Summer Reading Program.
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: Summer Reading Programs, SRP