Hi Perri,

Perhaps you might provide a box/bin of appropriate activity materials the families can use in the library... card games/board games, puzzles, coloring sheets/crayons, puppets, legos/duplos, and the like.  If funds are an issue, we have posted up a sign asking for these types of materials, and raided our personal toy bins.

We post up a couple signs saying that these materials are available for use and to ask at the desk for the bin...no card required.

We also post signs that say, "Clean up and get a sticker at the desk".  It's amazing how much less messy the children's play area became after the sticker "bribe".  And sticker assortments come from Oriental Trading for pennies or we also use the ones that come tucked into the occasional purchased Disney or movie themed kids books and magazines.  We also had our friends give us money to print up some, "I visited the library today" stickers with a pic of our mascot.  What a great way to advertise your services to others who might not usually visit your facility.

If snacking is an issue, do you have an area that is or could be set aside for food and drinks?  We actually allow (and provide) snacks and covered drinks in our branches.  That being said, we also purchased a dust buster for unfortunate occurrences.  You might find your regular patrons appreciate this as well.

How encouraging for your library that you can provide this opportunity for struggling families and brighten their day.

Enjoy the holidays,
Kelaine Mish
East Grand Rapids branch
Kent District Library


On Fri, Dec 19, 2014 at 10:56 AM, Perri Saunders <perri@monroe.lib.mi.us> wrote:
Supervised visits are becoming more and more frequent at our library, and with them come people that don't normally use the library, and don't know what behavior is expected.  

Do any of you have specific policies for supervised visits, or have hand-outs to give parents and social workers?  We have discovered finger-painting and clay work, along with lots of snacks happening in our kids room - plus general mayhem and messes.

We have patron behavior policies, but it would be nice to have something specific to this situation.  

Thanks for any help you can give!

Happy Holidays!

Perri Saunders, Director
White Pigeon Township Library
102 N. Kalamazoo St., P.O. Box 399
White Pigeon, MI   49099
Phone  269.483.7409
 

Brighten the corner where you are.

 

 


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Galatians 5:22-6:10  (with some creative control)
The harvest of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness, and self-control.....so let us never tire of doing good, for if we do not slacken our efforts we shall in due time reap our harvest.  Therefore, as opportunity offers, let us work for the good of all....