This document outlines year-round collaboration and programming ideas between public libraries and schools. It provides overviews and descriptions for monthly programs from January through December that bring libraries and schools together. The programs include storytimes, book clubs, craft activities, and outdoor events to encourage literacy and community engagement throughout the year. The document emphasizes collaboration, themes, classics, and adjusting programs based on feedback to create an enriching experience like a garden that is continually growing. It encourages reaching out to various community groups and provides contact information for the authors to discuss detailed program ideas further.

1. YEAR ROUND
COLLABORATION
PUBLIC & SCHOOL LIBRARY COLLABORATION

2. COLLABORATE!
Reach out to:
•School Media
Specialists
•Parent Teacher
Organization (PTO/PTA)
•Parks and Recreation
Department
•Historical Society
•Local Museum
•Boys and Girls Clubs
•Community Center
•YMCA

3. BOOKS FOR BEDTIME
Weekly local cable channel program
for storytelling and reading picture books.
We’re popular with the young and the elderly.

4. KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS
Kindergarten Social: Just before school begins, invite the School Media
Specialist to a one-hour morning “Social,” so students learn the name(s) of
some of the most important school personnel!
Ready, Set, Grow! : Conduct a series of programs for pre-K students and their
parents to prepare them for Kindergarten. Offer modeling sessions of reading
aloud, and have craft ideas for fine motor skills.

5. HISTORICAL SOCIETY PIE JUDGES
Immerse yourselves in the community.

6. PROGRAMMING IS SIMILAR TO
CREATING A GARDEN
Requirements
Description
Rich soil/foundation
Theme/Idea/Collaboration
Perennials and annuals
Classics and new/popular
Urns and statuary
Crafts/activities/games
Time to grow
Patience/adjust/abandon

7. JANUARY: BOOKS AND S’MORES
•Read aloud program
•No-bake, peanut-free snack
•Guest readers
•Align with Language Arts theme
to build rapport with schools

8. FEBRUARY: MYSTERY PLAY-DATE
WITH A BOOK
•Gift wrap books by age range/grade level
•If You Like____, Then You’ll Love This!
•Use before school breaks

9. MARCH: BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
•Meet 5x during the month of March
(every Monday)
•Read two books aloud at first 4 meetings
•Have extra copies of each book and place children in
teams to look over each title
•Vote on the best book at first 4 meetings
•5th meeting: Read 4 books aloud and have extra
copies available
•Vote for Best Book
•Publicize the winner so children
feel a sense of “ownership”

10. APRIL: AWARD WINNING BOOKS
•Examine artists’ and authors’ style and discuss
•Craft your own book with construction paper, book
binders, dividers
•Use “school supplies”: crayons, markers, colored
pencils, scissors, tissue paper, clean out your supply
closet!
•Stamp a seal on the front cover
•Have children write and illustrate their
very own book
•Circulate the collection

11. MAY: SCREEN-FREE WEEK
•Develop a script, with narration,
characters to role play, and lines to
perform. Encourage outdoor
performances to promote a traditional
setting.
•Play “Not a Box”: bring in shoe boxes,
book boxes and have the children
create their own Not a Box.
•Collaborate with Historical Society to
play “Old Time Games.”

12. JUNE: STORY MOB
•Choose a story and
create a Story Mob
(variation of a Flash
Mob)
•Encourage costumes
to go with the story
•Book Ideas: Are You a
Horse? Where is the
Green Sheep? Mo
Willems’ Pigeon and
Elephant & Piggie Books

13. JULY: BOOK MOBILE
•Take the library to the children
•Circulate books to the local Parks
and Rec Department/Summer
Camp/Boys and Girls Club/YMCA
•Create cards for the Group
•Bring box/milk crate for
pickups/returns
•Refill once a week if possible
•Leave library card applications
•Place library bookmarks in each
book

14. AUGUST: STORY HIKE
•Stake each page of a picture book
and place stakes 50 yards apart to
create a “Book Hike”
•Collaborate with local nature center
•Use as an End of Summer Reading
event or Family Day Event
•Book Ideas: Tap the Magic Tree,
Press Here, Wiggle, Stretch, From
Head to Toe, Don’t Push the Button

15. SEPTEMBER: PAGE TO SCREEN
•Read picture book aloud
•Create Bingo Cards with words and
phrases from the book and movie
•Create a PowerPoint to reveal the
words and phrases
•Book Ideas: Night at the Museum,
Jumanji, Shrek, Babar, Where the
Wild Things Are, Cloudy with a
Chance of Meatballs, Meet the
Robinsons, Epic, Madeline, Curious
George, Ant Bully

16. OCTOBER: LITERACY PARADE
•Choose a literary theme
•Great fundraiser idea!
•Indoor costume Trick or Treat parade held at school.

17. NOVEMBER: PICTURE BOOK
MONTH BINGO
•Picture book covers
•Parts of a book
•Theme: Fancy Nancy, Magic
Tree House, Mercy Watson
•Award BINGO prizes related to
the stories.
•You can even dress up as you
host the BINGO program.

18. DECEMBER: HAPPY NOON
YEAR PARTY
•Crafts: hats, streamers, and if you’re really brave,
confetti?! HINT – stay in one confined space for this one!
•Talk about, plan, and commit to New Year’s
resolutions, such as I will read a book a week or I will
visit the library every week.
•Create a Word of the Year
•Check in with children; send them
a postcard if you haven’t seen them
in a while. After all, everyone loves
to be remembered and appreciated!

19. QUESTIONS?
Reach Lisa Shaia at:
lisamshaia@gmail.com
thriveafterthree.com
In depth program ideas will be posted
on the blog.
Reach Joanne Moore at:
jomoore50@gmail.com
moorej@litchfieldschools.org

20. THANK YOU!
We hope you enjoyed our webinar, and we hope that
you are inspired to try new programs.
We want to emphasize that collaboration and a focus
on the mission and goals of our work are our guides to
success.
We love to share and promote children’s programs
and hope to talk with you again!
All the best,
Lisa and Joanne