• They’re here!! They’re here!! The water bottles have arrived!
• Anyone going to OLA, please call or e-mail me if you want to stop by ODL’s back dock to pick up water bottles, extra posters and materials or Sonic coupons.
• Those of you who cannot make it to OLA this year, I will be mailing your materials after the book bags arrive.
• The Sonic book bags are printing now and will be shipped next week. Libraries who ordered 250 or more will get theirs from the printers. Libraries who ordered less than 250 will have their book bags come to ODL. I will be mailing those out.
• Many of you are have received or are about to receive your summer reading materials. Just let me or Melissa know if you need more.
• I am extending the due date for the Centennial T-Shirts until after OLA. I will be at OLA, and if you want to sign up then I will have information with me. You do not have to have a check ready at that time. You can still order online. Call me if you need any assistance at all.

It’s all becoming real. I really hope we all have a wonderful summer program.

Yay! I’m off for the week of springbreak to spend time with my family. If you have questions about summer reading for children, young adult or the t-shirts contact Melissa Askew, maskew@oltn.odl.state.ok.us or 405.522-3315.

• I had my first tour of a printer’s shop yesterday. It was so cool seeing the summer reading materials printed out. It was everything I could do not to touch.

• The printers is ready to start shipping. Large libraries systems may receive more than one shipment due to their order numbers.

• Please check your shipments for the following items:
• Oklahoma Kids: A Kaleidoscope Poster
• Reading Log
• Reading Certificate
• Two (2) Postcards
• Sixteen (16) Trading cards – perforated (they won’t fall apart!)
• 4 Stickers to a strip

• The YA poster has arrived at ODL. We will begin shipping those out towards the end-of-the month. I’m still doing SRP workshops all next week and the following week is spring break. I will be taking full advantage of it.

• Those who have not picked up their Sonic coupons at either the workshops or at ODL will get them mailed to you at the same time as the YA poster.

• I’m getting numbers and addresses to the Sonic bag vendor. Libraries who ordered 250 or more will receive them direct from the vendor. Those less than 250 will be sent to ODL and then shipped to libraries.

• Centennial T-Shirts are available for the summer reading program. ODL is offering five (5) Adult shirt designs and three (3) Youth. A minimum of 24 orders per design is required to receive the wholesale cost. If a minimum order of any design is not reached, you will be contacted to select another design.
• The cost of the Adult shirts is:
• Small to XL – $6.75
• 2XL – $7.75
• 3XL – $8.75
• The cost of the Youth shirts is:
• $6.75 for all sizes
• Make checks payable to: Oklahoma Department of Libraries
• Payment due by March 31, 2007.
• E-mail Adrienne if you have any questions.
• abutler AT oltn.odl.state.ok.us

Here is a list of topics discussed during the Ardmore, Checotah and Stillwater workshops.

• Looking for posters of the state emblems, maps of Oklahoma divided by tribe, and old historical maps
• After Hours programs for teens: movies, games, pizza
• Mending graphic novels: are yours falling apart? How do you mend to continue circulation?
• Non-electronic games: cards, magic, Twister, puzzles, etc.
• Getting a Teen Advisory Group (TAG) started, getting them to stay on task
• Advice for buying audio equipment similar to Barnes & Noble for patrons to listen to music and books
• bwibooks.com: Self-playing digital audiobook for public libraries
• Teens can write book reviews and have them in the local paper
• AR Books: Talking with the schools, getting lists and buying the books
• Upstart Reading Patch Club
• Giveway/Prize Ideas: talk to local movie theaters and video stores for movie posters and coupons; tanning beds coupons; Mani/Pedi coupons; Mary Kay makeover (for the representative this is a learning workshop not a selling opportunity)
• Buying multiple copies of a book from the publisher for teen book clubs – are there any deals?
• Looking for free crafting and programming ideas
• Looking for activities for 4th, 5th and 6th graders
• Centennial in the Classroom Units and Activities: a plethora of activities, video, printable handouts for kids to learn about Oklahoma provided by the Oklahoma Centennial Commission
• Handling fighting and juvenile delinquency in the library
• Keeping children and teens interested in summer reading all summer long
• Competing with sports, camps and other teen activities
• Having a boys night and a girls night at the library
• Teen Volunteers and keeping them on task
• Program suggestions: pizza judging contest by getting local pizzerias involved; Amazing Race and getting local businesses involved, pet rock (kids can read to them)
• Oklahoma Humanities Grants: applying for them
• Teens using the library computers and not reading the books: push graphic novels, make new books (before cataloging) a perk for volunteers, AR Books, have teens pull their choices for display, post banned books
• Other programs: Celebrate Chinese New Year, found art, pumpkin decorating, Duct Tape activities, cooking classes, making your own Okie suitcase from a pillowcase
• Pente:(creator is from Stillwater) How to play and here, Rules,
• Patrons complaining that teens are loud: libraries are changing from quiet (sshhh!) to community centers, libraries want teens in the library
• Kansas Heritage Center: Okahoma-related activities
• Program ideas: Happy Birthday Oklahoma party at the end of summer reading, Cowboy week, Circus week,

• I’m back at ODL mid-way through the workshops. The Ardmore, Checotah and Stillwater workshops have yielded a lot of discussion and information. I have posted a list to topics, suggestions and web sites that were mentioned. Check out the forums, people have already started posting questions and suggestions.
• I leave on Monday for Claremore, then Cordell and finally Shattuck. I’m looking forward to meeting and visiting all of you.

• Hey y’all! (I’m channeling Paula Dean, right now) I’m getting ready to start the Summer Reading Workshops. I’m leaving for Ardmore today, the workshop is tomorrow and then to Checotah. I’ll be back at ODL on Friday, but not at my desk.
• Friday is Read Across America Day at the Oklahoma City Zoo. I’ll be helping ODL’s Literacy Office. Also, send a birthday card to The Cat in the Hat. Every card sent RandomHouse donates a book to First Book.
• Monday is the Stillwater workshop.
• If you haven’t already, there is still time and room to sign up. Links to the online registration form and the agenda’s are on the CYA home page.

Looking forward to meeting all you!

If you downloaded the Children’s Workshop Agenda word document, please note the time is am not pm. That’s what I get for copying and pasting. The agenda has been corrected.

Pat Williams, certification specialist, has configured the CEU’s for the 2007 Summer Reading Workshops based on the evaluations that I gave her. Each workshop, children and young adult, are awarded .19 CEU’s.  If you are attending both workshops, make sure you pick up both the children’s and young adult CEU sheets.

I had quoted earlier that there will be four postcards. There will now be two. They will consist of 5 to 6 images in a collage on the front. On the back the Centennial Commission logo, verbiage about the summer reading program and a courtesy note to the Oklahoma History Center for the use of the photos. Children will be able to mail the postcards to friends.