TRAVELING WITH ROLY POLIES:
WHAT I LEARNED DURING
SUMMER READING 2024
BY LAURA HEROLD
IN SPRING 2024, I WAS GRANTED $350 FROM SPOTTY RAIN CAMPAIGN VIA OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY TO FACILITATE NATURE PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES. WITH SPOTTY RAIN’S FUNDS, I WAS ABLE TO REACH OVER 160 CHILDREN AND HOST 10 FREE LIBRARY PROGRAMS. THIS IS MY MINI-ZINE ABOUT WHAT I LEARNED... HI! I’M LAURA! I AM A YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN IN WESTERN NEW YORK.
SHOW UP EXCITED AND DRESS FOR SUCCESS. IF THAT MEANS WEARING A PITH HELMET AND A CARGO VEST, DO IT! GET THE KIDS OUTSIDE! LET THEM CONNECT WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND SEE THAT NATURE IS EVERYWHERE.
I CHOSE TO FOCUS ON BUGS AND BIRDS SO I
ADOPTED 3 ROLY POLIES TO BE MY SHOWSTOPPERS. WE TRAVELED ACROSS 3 COUNTIES TOGETHER.
I COULD NOT TRAVEL WITH BIRDS, SO KIDS GOT THE CHANCE TO STUDY A NEST AND HEAR ABOUT “STEALTHY LINDA” AND HER 3 BABIES THAT LIVED IN THE NEST.
BY TELLING A STORY KIDS BECAME INVESTED IN THESE CREATURES.
FROM THE BEGINNING I HAD TO LEARN THAT BIRDS WILL SHOW UP WHEN THEY WANT TO, NOT WHEN I WANT THEM TO. KIDS WERE STILL EXCITED TO USE MONOCULARS AND “SPY” ON THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
DURING ONE BIRDLESS PROGRAM, TWO GIANT BLUE HERONS MAJESTICALLY SWOOPED INTO THE CREEK ACROSS THE STREET. IT WAS MAGICAL.
BUGS POSED LESS OF A PROBLEM. THEY WERE EVERYWHERE. I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT KIDS LOVED TO HUNT FOR THEM, HOLD THEM, AND TOUCH THEM.
BUMBLEBEE CICADA
WE
FOUND
A VARIETY OF BUGS, INCLUDING A PREYING MANTIS, CICADAS, ANTS, ISOPODS, SLUGS, WORMS AND HONEY BEES.
WHILE THESE PROGRAMS WERE AIMED AT CHILDREN. ADULTS WERE ALSO SEEKING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH NATURE AND OFTEN JOINED IN ON THE FUN.
I ALWAYS ENCOURAGED CURIOSITY; NO MATTER THE PERSON’S AGE.
WE SHOULD ALL ASK QUESTIONS AND OBSERVE.
THIS SUMMER TAUGHT ME THAT:
NATURE AND LIBRARIES OFFER A RESPITE IN A CHAOTIC WORLD.
CREATING SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS IN NATURE AND AT
THE LIBRARY ARE IMPORTANT