Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy - - Southern Alberta Library Conference

Easy Peasy
Lemon Squeezy
Programming on a Budget
Southern Alberta Library Conference
March 20-21, 2015
Faye B. Geddes
Do you suffer from Library
envy?
 Feeling
pressure to be “innovative” and
the first ones to adopt a new program or
technology?
 Caught up in what other libraries are
doing?
 Feeling anxious that you should be doing
more?
The Big Question…
 Are
your library users asking for it?
 Programming should be determined by
the resources available to your library and
the results of you community needs
assessment.
-sometimes we try to do too much with too little –
- Take pride in offering what you can… and do it
well!
Challenges
 $$$$$$$$$$$$
 People
to run the programs
 How do we run a program and take care
of the circulation desk at the same time?
 No space for programming
Make Use of Existing Space
Ideas for saving $$
 Do
programming where library users bring
their own supplies. (eg. Stirling does
Knitting for Kids)
 Use System-wide resources
 Use supplies left over from previous
programs
Left over Supplies
 Craft
Bash Up – set out craft supplies and
let the children be creative!
Ideas for saving $$
 Do
programming where library users bring
their own supplies. (eg. Stirling does
Knitting for Kids)
 Use supplies left over from previous
programs
 Donations / Volunteers
Volunteers
Ideas for saving $$
 Do
programming where library users bring
their own supplies. (eg. Stirling does
Knitting for Kids)
 Use supplies left over from previous
programs
 Donations / Volunteers
 Dual purpose supplies and equipment
Dual Purpose Supplies &
Equipment
 eg.
I bought a button maker for marketing
Alberta Culture Days, it can now be used
for teen programming
 Scanners, printers, binding machines,
laminators – can all be used as part of
your everyday services as well as part of
your “maker space”
Ideas for saving $$
 Do
programming where library users bring
their own supplies. (eg. Stirling does
Knitting for Kids)
 Use supplies left over from previous
programs
 Donations / Volunteers
 Dual purpose supplies and equipment
 Partnerships
Partnerships
 BRAT
Pack Program at Crowsnest
Community Library (Bringing Reading &
Activities Together)
 Write
Break Literacy draw for Family
Literacy Day
 Accessible
Local History Initiative at the
Raymond Public Library
Ideas for saving $$
 Do
programming where library users bring
their own supplies. (eg. Stirling does
Knitting for Kids)
 Use supplies left over from previous
programs
 Donations
 Dual purpose supplies and equipment
 Partnerships
 Use Passive Techniques
Passive Techniques
 What
is it?
 anything
that engages your audience
 Requires little or no $$
 Requires little or no staff effort
 Simple setup
 Little or no supervision
Two aspects of Passive
Techniques
 Programs
Focuses on what library users can do in or with
the library
 Reader’s
Advisory
Focuses on the library’s collection while
providing reading recommendations
Think of coming to the Library as an EXPERIENCE
Displays
Displays
Bulletin Boards
Bulletin Boards
Bulletin Boards
Bulletin Boards
Bulletin Boards
Online Interaction
Online Interaction
Interactive Displays
 Experiential Programming (see blog MLISsing in
Action for these and more ideas)
Interactive Displays
 Library
user comment displays
Blackout Poetry
Book Spine Poetry
Mailbox to the Future
Low Effort Programs
Mad Scientist
Taber Public Library
Games
30-Minute Makers (crafts that
take 30 minutes or less to teach and do
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Duct Tape Roses
Tea Bag Folding Christmas Card
Iris Folding Cards
Jewelry (make a pair of earrings)
Make your own gift boxes
Balloon Art
More???????
Contests
 Art
Contest
Contests
 LEGO
Contest
The Lyrical Librarians
Living Library
Take pride in offering what
you can… and do it well!
 “…You
are the gateway into the mind of
the idea people who come to our
facilities to find or fuel a spark…It is your
calling to trespass into the unknown and
come back with a concrete piece
someone can hold onto, turn over, and
use to fuel their mind and soul.”

Anythink Staff Manifesto
Library is
EXPERIENCE!
Raymond Public Library
Your Space, Your Journey
THANK YOU!
Faye Geddes
Library Manager
Raymond Public Library
fgeddes@raymondlibrary.ca