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G2S Project Code:
2018-MA-81543
State:
Massachusetts
Fiscal Year:
2018
Grantee
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Project Director
Director Name:
Shelley Quezada
Director Phone:
617-725-1860 ext. 235
Director Email:
shelley.quezada@state.ma.us
General Information
Title:
Mind in the Making
State Project Code:
19.11-01-07
Start Date:
10/01/2018
End Date:
09/30/2019
Abstract:
Seven communities: the Bedford Public Library, the Jonathan Bourne Public Library, the Rutland Public Library, the Shrewsbury Public Library, the Waltham Public Library, the Shirley Public Library and the Wellesley Public offered their community
flexible new play spaces for young children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. In
October, 2018 t
he MBLC convened a training session for the libraries to allow staff associated with the grant program to meet one another and take part in activities on the value of creative play offered by staff of the Boston Children's Museum and the Discovery Museum of Acton.
Throughout the project year, these libraries hosted activities to extend playtime ideas into real-life experiences, leading to opportunities for whole-body movement, storytelling, group play, and up-close encounters with both the natural and the technological world. The intertwined approaches of unstructured play and guided activities encouraged caregivers and children to interact with each other in ways that supported the development of critical executive functions like focus, self-directed learning, and perspective-taking.
State Goal:
Lifelong Learning
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$
69,947.00
$
0.00
$
113,571.09
$
183,518.09
Intent(s)
Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their parenting and family skills.
Early Literacy
Activities
Activity Details
Title:
Mind in the Making Training
Narrative:
The MBLC convened a training session for the seven MITM funded projects in October, 2018 to allow library staff associated with the grant program to meet one another in an inspiring setting. They shared their vision of how they would be implementing programs and took part in activities on the value of creative play offered by staff of the Boston Children's Museum and the Discovery Museum of Acton.
Intent:
Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their parenting and family skills.
Activity:
Instruction
Mode:
Program
Format:
In-person
Quantity
Session length (minutes):
120
Number of sessions in program:
1
Average number in attendance per session:
20
Number of times program administered:
1
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:
Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population:
General
Locale
Is the activity state-wide:
No
Specific Locations:
Yes
Name: BEDFORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 7 MUDGE WAY
City: BEDFORD
State: MA
Zip: 01730
Name: JONATHAN BOURNE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 19 SANDWICH ROAD
City: BOURNE
State: MA
Zip: 02532
Name: RUTLAND FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 280 MAIN STREET
City: RUTLAND
State: MA
Zip: 01543
Name: Shirley Public Library
Address: 3 Keady Way
City: Shirley
State: MA
Zip: 01464
Name: SHREWSBURY FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 609 MAIN ST.
City: SHREWSBURY
State: MA
Zip: 01545
Name: WALTHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 735 MAIN ST.
City: WALTHAM
State: MA
Zip: 02451
Name: WELLESLEY FREE LIBRARY
Address: 530 WASHINGTON ST.
City: WELLESLEY
State: MA
Zip: 02482
Question 1: I learned something by participating in this library activity.
Strongly Agree: 20
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: I feel more confident about what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 20
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 3: I intend to apply what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 20
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 4: Applying what I learned will help improve library services to the public.
Strongly Agree: 20
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
All seven libraries were required to create a minimum of two outcomes that they would use to measure the impact of their programs. Almost all proposed the following outcome: Children from birth through preschool will practice tasks, through informal play and formal instruction, that foster developmentally appropriate skills and social-emotional growth. Most used pre and post program surveys after each program. In the case of Bedford, the library worked with a partner organization that sponsored baby playgroups and the summertime Touch-a-Truck event that brought in large numbers of families, with all events welcoming a total of 546 families (1,278 attendees) to the Library over the course of the grant project. With each event, families found opportunities to play, explore, learn, and practice essential executive function skills like self-control, communication, and trying challenging actvitiies. Above all, the events focused on fun opportunities for all of these skills to shine. Looking at the responses to the surveys distributed after events, the Library had a goal of 60% of families showing some practice of these executive functioning skills. The results were far more positive, with a significant majority of respondents either agreeing or strongly agreeing that the children in their care demonstrated practicing these skills.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
By convening project participants in a cohort at the beginning of the project year, the MBLC was able to provide training including the importance of applying outcomes to evaluate their projects. Among the questions that were asked and which elicited a high response :" My child was able (most of the time) to listen when needed and follow directions". "My child talked about discoveries and asked questions of me, the instructor, or other kids." "My child saw new ideas for play or tried to solve a problem during the program." 100 % of respondents noted "My child and I had fun". The Library was keenly interested in the impact of the playspace on the families that used it. The proposed outcomes measured that impact using post-event surveys as well as ongoing surveys using sticky notes to capture feedback from caregivers—and sometimes children themselves.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Midway during the project year a number of libraries were introduced to Project Outcome and chose to enter their data into the system. As a result, they were able to demonstrate more impact of this project than had been shown in previous years. A sample of the Jonathan Bourne Library's outcome evaluation is attached under additional materials. For another library inside the playspace, there was a large poster featuring a question for them to consider as their children played. Next to the poster, families had access to sticky notes and pencils to leave their own responses. Each question looked at some aspect of executive function skills, and the Library hoped to see at least 70% of respondents actively considering and engaging with these skills. Among the sticky notes collected over the course of the grant year, 85.2% of the 88 responses showed this active engagement.Thus this technique turned out to be a valuable method of gaining information about project impact and helped shape future direction.
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:
Yes
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
Yes
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
Yes
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
Direct Observation
Participant Observation
Did you collect any media for the data:
Photos
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Statistical Methods
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
Targeted Sample – We selected based on a desired characteristic, e.g. age.
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Pre-post comparison for a reported output or outcome: Post-event surveys revealed that 96.49% Agreed or Strongly Agreed when asked the question "My child tried something new during this program . The other five questions elicited a similar response indicating a high degree of satisfaction with the information that was presented and that real learning had taken place.
Exemplary:
Yes
Exemplary Narrative
Each of the seven libraries created an immersive environment where children play and learn interactively. Located in areas of their library that had been repurposed and refurbished , children and their parents were offered a variety of activities, props, and toys that promote learning-based play. These spaces encourage experiential play that enhances learning readiness, improves fine and gross motor skills, increases social-emotional skills, and develops problem solving skills. These spaces benefit library users by directly fostering play and learning in children, supporting their caretakers’ engagement in interactive play, and ensuring people from all socioeconomic backgrounds are afforded the learning-based opportunities supported by play. Initiating the seven programs with a training session enabled library staff to connect with one another throughout the year and share information about any challenges or success. Three of the libraries created a program that was offered for professional development the following May (2019) at the annual Massachusetts Library Association conference thus advancing the value of their success and promoting LSTA programs. As one project director noted. "The library was continuously surprised by the inventive ways children used the toys, blocks, and cardboard creations, as well as the way they interacted with the environment laid out for them. Staff expected imagination, but as children often do, they surpassed all expectation."
Project Tags:
Early Literacy, Family Literacy, Family Engagement
