2004-2005 Grant Project Reports

Allegany Public Library

Diane Winger
(716) 373-1056

Project Name: Homework Help Centers

Project Amount: $6,842
2004-2005

Brief Project Description: A Homework Help Center will be created in Limestone’s Youth Recreation Dept. building (next door to the Limestone Elementary School) and the Allegany Public Library to provide homework and Internet assistance to local students.

Target Audience: Students K through 12.

Specific Activities:

Students created 3 special programs for their parents to demonstrate what they have learned about safe and proper Internet use for homework.
The students developed a PowerPoint presentation, brochures, and skits for the programs.

Community Partners and Staffing:

Limestone’s Youth and Recreation Dept.
Allegany/Limestone School District
St. Bonaventure University

Creation of Homework Center, providing homework center with wireless Internet access, and two volunteers for each Homework Center

Costs:

Computers for Homework Centers - $1,932
Supplies - $6,838

Evaluation:

Quantitative

Homework Help Centers created
Sublists

Qualitative

Quality of the Homework Help Centers are strongly praised

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Go Here

Brooklyn Public Library

Sheila Schofer
(718) 649-0388

Project Name: Choices for Your Future: A Workshop Series for Young Adults

Project Amount: $27,265
2003-2005

Brief Project Description: Workshops directed to in-school and out-of-school youth and young adults and their caregivers.

Target Audience: In-school and out-of-school youth and young adults, ages 13-18, as well as their parents or caregivers, from among those being served by four Brooklyn-based organizations that collaborated with the project.

Needs Addressed: Brooklyn’s teen population faces high rates of teen pregnancy, unemployment, and arrest, as well as high drop out and suspension and low high school graduation rates. This project encouraged students to think about and plan their futures.

Specific Activities:

Purchased relevant books for BPL’s branch libraries
Established deposit collections at participating community sites.
Produced promotional materials and items
Held training sessions for Young Adult specialty librarians
Recruited and trained four teen peer facilitators

Community Partners and Staffing:

Project Reach Youth--
Good Shepherd Teen Services (Red Hook Community Center Beacon at P.S. 15)
New York City (NYC) Administration for Children’s Services (ACS)/Teen-Age Services Act Program (TASA)
Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM)
Participating in the Choices for Your Future Teen Info Fair, sending brochures and other information materials for the event, advertising the fair, and recruiting teens to attend: New York State Department of Labor, Brooklyn Association of Teen Educators, NYC Housing and Recreation Centers, Young Men’s Christian Association, Brooklyn College, Medgar Evers College, Community Healthcare Network, Federation of Italian American Organizations Beacon Program, Falcon Works Artists Group, Church Avenue Merchants Block Association, Prospect Park Youth Alliance, Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment, Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Garden Apprentice Program, and the Fire Department of New York’s Explorers.

Costs:

Purchased Services—$21,800—Workshop leaders, etc.
Supplies and Materials—$5465—Promotional materials, books and workshop supplies.

Evaluation:

Quantitative

37 Workshops for teens, with 297 total participants
Evening Teen Info Fair: 170 teens; 25 adults
2 training sessions for librarians, 24 participants
3 training sessions for 4 teen peer mentors
496 items added to collections (124 titles)
50000 book-marks, 2500 flyers,1500 promo incentives,1500 books

Qualitative

Teens preferred discussing topics and participating in activities to watching videos. They particularly liked the opportunity to choose their own topics for discussion. Non-traditional workshops formats and peer mentors were very effective.

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Turnout of parents and caregivers was lower then expected, and the library will explore other strategies for recruiting adult participants. Workshops for librarians will be continued, enabling them to conduct similar workshops at their libraries.

Carthage Free Library

Paula Weal
(315) 493-1539

Project Name: Parent/Child Reading Incentive

Project Amount: $13,222
2004-2005

Brief Project Description: Hold a series of book/movie discussions with children grades 5-8 and a parent or caregiver or other significant adult.

Target Audience: Youth in grades 5 through grade 8 and a parent or other significant adult.

Needs Addressed: Carthage is a village where the economy is poor and the outlook for fulfilling employment for young people is bleak. The village lost major manufacturing jobs, experienced devastating fires and has a high rate of poverty and of juveniles involved in the justice system.

Specific Activities:

A series of book/movie discussions with young teens and their parents/caregivers

Community Partners and Staffing:

Jefferson County Youth Bureau, Mental Health Association, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Council and Cornell Cooperative Extension—initial approach, planning, discussion leaders
Probation Department, Carthage Central Key Club, Family Counseling Services, YMCA, Calvary Assembly of God New Generation Youth Group, Carthage Elementary Librarian, and the NYS police resource Officer.

Costs:

Salaries for professional and support staff—$3505—Project coordinator and assistants
Supplies and materials—$7666—Books, audio books, and videos/DVDs; event supplies; furniture for meeting space; processing materials; promotional materials
Employee benefits—$268
Equipment—$2280—LCD TV for showing movies.

Evaluation:

Quantitative
- 9 meetings, attended by 89 children and 89 adults
- 121 books given away,
- 159 books signed out (for program)
Qualitative
- Adult participation was low, as had been expected, but children from outside the planned age-range were interested.

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Audio books were not used. Materials purchased for the grant will be reused to continue to run similar programming. There was more interest from younger students (6th grade and below) then from 7th and 8th graders. The library could have worked more with schools, and produced more marketing materials.

Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery

Eric Trahan
(518) 673-2314

Project Name: The Thing To Do, The Place To Be: Your Library

Project Amount: $6,603
2004-2006

Brief Project Description: Constructed themed program, with youth input, to encourage continued library use

Target Audience: Students in grades 5 through 8, who live in the Canajoharie and Fort Plain school districts, with some element designed to appeal especially to boys.

Needs Addressed: Decline in library use among students in grades 5-8, a trend that is most pronounced in boys

Specific Activities:

Develop relationships to gather information from students on subjects that would foster participation by their peers.
Schedule in school and after school activities on those subjects, to build interest.
Simultaneously acquire and promote library materials on the appropriate subjects or themes.
Host a day camp like series of programs at the end of the school year.

Community Partners and Staffing:

Canajoharie Central School

Planning for two specific programs, suggesting materials for acquisition, and implementation and evaluation of those programs.

Fort Plain Free Library

Partner from the beginning of developing the proposal to the production of the final report. In the activities part of the project, the two libraries developed and implemented their own specific programs, materials and services. Evaluation was shared.

Fort Plain Central School

Specific programs were planned in concert with the library and school, and materials acquired for those programs. The school also assisted with evaluation.

Costs:

Purchased Services - $4,015. This figure includes the cost for the program providers. We were very successful in getting providers to provide programs at cost of free of charge. This amount was adequate
Supplies and Materials - $2,642. This figure was almost entirely library materials – books, CDs etc. $267 was used for program supplies. It was an adequate amount to implement the project

Evaluation:

Quantitative

11 students participated in two advisory groups
8 in- and after-school programs were held, with a total attendance of 526.
141 titles were added to the two library collections. The titles were in a variety of formats, including books, graphic books, CD audio and DVD. Circulation of these materials (estimated from sampling) was at 290.
12 summer program sessions were held, over a period of 5 days. Total attendance at these sessions was 123, or slightly over 10 at the average program. The programs were all hands on, and had limited attendance. Some reached their limit of attendance.

Qualitative

Teachers, parents and participants. The activities were identified as highly valuable by all three groups
Library use of materials relevant to project activities (but not purchased as part of grant) increased significantly.

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Begin planning as early as possible.

Field Library, Inc., The

Sally Bentley
914-737-0521

Project Name: Parents as Learning Partners

Project Amount: $11,038
2003-2005

Brief Project Description: Field Library offered three workshop sessions for students and parents to provide supplemental learning development beyond the school day.

Target Audience: Marginally at risk students in grades 1-2 and at least one parent or caretaker per student.

Geneva Free Library

Hope Galens
(315) 789-5303

Project Name: Wee Read Together/Year Two

Project Amount: $15,755
2003-2005

Brief Project Description: Provide literacy-based outreach activities and programs to child development partners

Target Audience: Children and staff at the following daycare centers: Geneva Lakefront Childcare Center, Geneva Child Development Center, Geneva General Hospital Childcare Center and Happiness House. Library-based programs target the entire family.

Needs Addressed: Geneva has the highest rate of cultural diversity and poverty in Ontario County.

Specific Activities:

Storytimes
Hands-on activities
Library card registration
Special family programs at library
Rotating collections
In-service training

Community Partners and Staffing:

Geneva General Hospital Childcare Center—planning, program site, evaluation
Geneva Lakefront Childcare Center—planning, program site, evaluation
Geneva Child Development Center—planning, program site, evaluation
Happiness House—planning, program site, evaluation

Costs:

Professional Salaries—$11,232—Project coordinator
Purchased Services—$1992—Program presenters and advertising
Supplies and materials—$1510—Books and program supplies
Employee benefits—$1002—Project coordinator

Evaluation:

Quantitative

2 story times in library, 42 story times outside library, 7 special library programs
928 program participants

Qualitative

Programs well well-received.

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: ome partners will simply have difficulty maintaining a schedule.

Guilderland Public Library, The

Karen Balsen
(518) 456-2400

Project Name: Reading Connections @ the Guilderland Public Library: Linking Parents and Teens

Project Amount: $16,043
2003-2005

Brief Project Description: Teen/parent book discussion groups.

Target Audience: Eighthy grade teens and their parents and ninth to tenth grade teens and their parents who are part of the Guilderland Central School District.

Needs Addressed: Improving communication between parents and teens.

Specific Activities:

Librarian-facilitated book discussion groups for parents and teens, with optional joint discussion

Community Partners and Staffing:

The Guilderland Central School District--meeting space, identify teens, staff facilitated teen and joint teen/parent book discussion groups
Friends of the Guilderland Public Library

Provided funding towards the authors visits
Provided expertise to create and analyze evaluation tool and participate in planning meetings

Costs:

Professional Salaries: $6,386—Young Adult Librarian (as facilitator)
Purchased Services: $6,214
Supplies and Materials: $1,799
Employee benefits: $1644

Evaluation:

Quantitative

1 group of 10 teens in the high school, 1 group of 12 teens in middle school, 2 groups of parents.
4 discussion meetings, 3 author visits.

Qualitative

Participants enjoyed the program, and 50% are interested in continuing next year.

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Partners will collaborate to continue project. Expanding the program to include both seventh and eight graders in the middle school and all high school grades would work well. More time than anticipated was needed for planning so some of the time was shifted in this direction.

James Prendergast Library Association

Camille Guinnane
(716) 484-7135

Project Name: The Write Team (To Excel And Mentor)

Project Amount: $11,120
2004-2006

Brief Project Description: Created a professional looking magazine with 5th and 6th grade students.

Target Audience: 5th and 6th grade children enrolled in the After-School and Chautauqua Striders programs at Washington Middle School and the 4th graders at Love and Ring Elementary Schools who will become Washington Middle School students in the 2005-2006 school year.

Needs Addressed: There is an enormous need in the area of academic achievement in the English Language Arts in the Jamestown Middle School. 59% of the middle school level student in this district did not meet the listening, reading and writing standards in the year 2002-03. In order for these students to prepare and pass Regents exams, 48 % will need extra help. 11% of these students have academic deficiencies.

Specific Activities:

A field trip computer session at the Prendergast Library was held for students on the Write Team
School Librarians at each of the (9) schools collected submissions for the magazine.
A field trip to the Post Journal Newspaper was arranged by the Project Coordinator and Newspaper staff.

Community Partners and Staffing:

Chautauqua Striders
YWCA After-school programs
The Post-Journal
Washington Middle School

The mentoring, tutoring, and guidance of youth through education, advocacy, and athletics.

Costs:

Salaries - $8,143
Purchased Services - $1,195
Supplies and Materials - $171
Travel Expenses - $160
Benefits - $1,742

Evaluation:

Quantitative

Sessions at three sites
Project Writer worked with the students at two sites involving 4th grades.

Qualitative

http://www.ohhmagazine.org

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: he organization and training of the Striders and Y staff people that would be helping with the project sessions. We would have prepared them better with more training, etc. before introducing them to the students and putting them into place.

Liberty Public Library

Marjorie Linko
(845) 292-6070

Project Name: Opportuniteen: Career Resource Center and Workshops

Project Amount: $10,088
2004-2005

Brief Project Description: The Liberty Public Library coordinated efforts with other community agencies to create a job, college and career-oriented resource center. The Library also held workshops covering topics such as, Financial Aid/College Planning, job searching methods, and Careers Without College. Workshops were held both at the library and at the Liberty High School, in order to maximize attendance by the target audience.

Target Audience: Young Adults from Liberty Central High School and their caregivers

Needs Addressed: Liberty, New York is a rural, low-income community located in Sullivan County with an approximate population of 13,000 residents. There is an ongoing need in the community to combat high rates of unemployment, poverty, and academic failure. In addition, teenage involvement in gangs, drug-use and teen pregnancy rates are at an all time high.

Specific Activities:

Career Resource Center
Career Workshops at the Library
Student Survey
Career Counseling

Community Partners and Staffing:

Liberty Central High School
Workforce Development Board of Sullivan, Inc.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County
OpportuniTEEN Advisory Board Volunteer

The Volunteer was actively involved with planning workshops, and creating promotion brochures and flyers.

Costs:

Purchased Services - $1,398
Supplies and Materials - $7,578
Equipment - $1,112

Evaluation:

Quantitative

610 career, job, college, and exam books/videos were purchases
2 computers purchased
75 estimated users (8 months)
10 workshops with 121 attendees
5, one-hour individual/family sessions with Career Counselor at Library

Qualitative

Patrons have ready access to exam books without the wait of Interlibrary loan
Workshop Participants had better understanding of given topic
Positive overall satisfaction rating

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: We would recommend allocating money for a paid position to coordinate the project—at least 10 hours a week. We would make sure to have a core group of teens involved from the beginning in all aspects of the planning. This way they would have a vested interest in the success of the project and would also promote the workshops through word of mouth. Scheduling workshops during the winter months proved to be difficult with such heavy snowfall.

Mahopac Public Library

Patricia Kaufman
(845) 628-2009

Project Name: Reading Readiness through Yoga

Project Amount: $7,904
2004-2005

Brief Project Description: Introduce preschool children and their parents or caregivers to yoga in an effort to improve attention span.

Target Audience: Preschool children between the ages of four and five and their parents/caregivers who reside in the Mahopac Central School District.

Needs Addressed: Young children's already short attention span, which is shortened even more by television viewing, also affects reading readiness. Through yoga training for children and their parents, focus and attention span will be addressed.

Specific Activities:

Library-based workshop sessions for children and parents or caregivers
Books and other materials on yoga for young children added to collection
Informative sessions for community groups

Community Partners and Staffing:

Kindergarten at the Falls—Planning and Publicity
Putnam Child Care Council—Planning and Publicity

Costs:

Purchased services $6000—Yoga instructor
Supplies and Materials $1904—Related books and other media, publicity materials, supplies for workshops.

Evaluation:

Quantitative

49 in-library yoga sessions, with 121 participants
4 off-site presentations, reaching 89 people
1400 flyers distributed to promote program

Qualitative

Parents in general responded well, were willing to explore unfamiliar techniques, and continued to use techniques outside of class.
Health benefits of yoga—for both parents and children—were a considerable draw
Outside circumstances (a flood in the library) prevented many of the outreach plans, but those sessions that could be conducted were appreciated.
Attention span results were not entirely clear; other contributing factors seemed as important as yoga.

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Age range could be expanded to four through seven, rather then limited to five year olds, and series length increased from six weeks to eight week. Increase interest in the program by initially focusing on the health benefits of yoga and, once participants are “hooked”, target the attention span/reading readiness relationship. Continuation plans were effected by a change in the instructed job status; sessions will now be available as part of summer reading programming.

Categories of service:

Reading Readiness
Collection Development

The New York Public Library

Margaret Tice
(212) 340-0903

Project Name: Children Together: Developing Inclusive Libraries--Programs for Children & Their Caregivers

Project Amount: $32,690
2003-2005

Brief Project Description: Library programs have been adapted to better meet the diverse needs of children with special needs and their parents and caregivers, and there have been more positive experiences for these children and their families.

Target Audience: Special needs children and their caregivers in NYPL’s service area.

Needs Addressed: There are approximately 27,000 special needs children in NYPL’s service area. The NYPL staff identified the need to improve services to children with special needs and their caregivers, this Children Together: Developing Inclusive Public Library Programs for Children and their Caregivers was born.

Specific Activities:

393 Library programs for children
Eleven parent/caregiver workshops
One training workshop was held for Children’s Librarians

Community Partners and Staffing:

Resources for Children with Special Needs, inc. (RCSN).
Library staff continued to work with public and private elementary schools in its service area to reach out to students with special needs, their parents and caregivers.

The RCSN provided information and referral, individual and systemic advocacy, parent and professional training, and library and information services to New York City parents and caregivers of children with disabilities and special needs and to the professionals who work with them.

Costs:

Staff training - $1,000 – Workshop for Library staff conducted by Children with Special Needs, Inc. The cost of the workshop includes preparation and materials for distribution.
Supplies and Materials - $25,291 – The library identified and purchases 2,268 children’s titles at an average cost of $11.15/title for 80 Branch Libraries’ children’s room collection.
Adaptive supplies - $7594 – Supplies were purchased that helped improve staff’s ability to include children with special needs in arts and crafts programs.

Evaluation:

Quantitative

Eleven parent/caregiver workshops were held in the 3 boroughs (Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island) with a total attendance of 290.
One training workshop was held for Children’s Librarians; 97 Children’s Librarians/trainees attended.
67 Children’s Librarians conducted 393 Library programs for children with a total attendance of 7,296.

Qualitative

Children’s librarians received information about working with children with special needs and resources to use with caregivers and with children.
Parents and caregivers commented on how useful the workshops were and their newfound awareness of the Library’s resources.
The children improved group behavior as a result of regular class visits to the library.

Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Two additional workshops for children’s librarians who did not participate in the training in Year One would have been scheduled. An increase in budget.

Olean Public Library

Kathleen Price
(716) 372-0200

Project Name: Investigation Stations

Project Amount: $11,494
2003-2005

Brief Project Description: Provide preschool children and their parents with activity stations that develop the early literacy competencies in reading, writing, language, social sciences, math, and science.

Target Audience: Preschool children and their parents or caretakers, including the students and staff of two local child care providers.

Needs Addressed: Pre-kindergarten programming in the Olean City School District is very limited, due to a series of budget cuts; most available pre-k programs are full, with waiting lists.

Specific Activities:

Created hands-on discovery learning centers called Investigation Stations at Olean Public Library
Developed rotating seasonal themes for Investigation Station activities
Provided training for library and partner staff, and parents, on the Theory of Multiple Intelligences on which the Investigation Stations are based.

Community Partners and Staffing:

Olean Child Daycare Center—discontinued participation 9/04
Immanuel Christian Child Care and Preschool

Parents and staff participated on planning committee and assisted with planning to integrate Investigation Station activities into existing curriculum.
Set up Investigation Stations at ICCC and incorporated activities into instruction, encouraged parent participation in offered trainings and activities, and provided child care for parent meetings and workshops
Provided and helped gather evaluations of trainings and programs

Costs:

Salaries for Support Staff $4,498—Library aide responsible for day-to-day operations, maintenance, coordinated project, presenting programming, and monitoring outcomes
Purchased Services $2170—Workshop training and consultation, childcare during workshops, facilities and supplies
Supplies and Materials $4,693—Relevant books, materials and supplies for Investigation Station activities and related programming
Travel Expenses $240—To Strong Museum in Rochester, NY for staff and parent training

Evaluation:

Quantitative
- 11 ICCC staff members attended 3 workshops on MI theory and curriculum development
- In addition to staff, 26 parents or caregivers attended workshops and meetings
- 292 children and 212 adults, parents, and caregivers registered for Investigation Station activities, along with approx. 400-500 “walk-ins”
- Participants averaged 5 completed activities per visit
- Recorded use of Investigation Station activities exceeds 10,000
Qualitative
- Parental involvement increased in year two, possibly as a result of both greater understanding and greater outreach efforts
- MI theory is being integrated into most preschool and elementary programming prepared by the library
- Only negative comments involved the difficulty of some activities; as the Investigation Stations were being used by a broader age range then the initial target audience, the range of difficulty of activities was increased.
Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Staff commitment at partner agencies is crucial, as administrators may choose a collaboration but staff members are responsible for implementing it. A much wider range of ages then the intended target audience used the stations, and activities were changed to accommodate the range of ages.

Categories of service:
1. Pre-school literacy development
2. Staff Training
Patchogue-Medford Library

Toni Dean
(631) 654-4700

Project Name: The Learning Connection: A Partnership for Literacy

Project Amount: $30,019
2004-2005

Target Audience: Spanish-speaking families whose children attended three elementary schools in the Patchogue-Medford District with the highest numbers of Spanish-speakers; families whose children attend the Patchogue Head Start and Patchogue Early Head Start programs; and Spanish-speaking library users.

Needs Addressed: Hispanic population of the Patchogue-Medford Community has grown rapidly to 24%

Specific Activities:
- Bilingual Learning and Homework Center for 30 sessions from October 2, 2004-June 11
- 3 large literacy bins were filled with learning activities
- Adult ELL Classes were held in the library
- Bilingual kits for circulation to parents, children and teachers.
- Family bilingual story times and programs
- Collection development including bilingual and Spanish board books, juvenile collection, parent collection, and pamphlets and other printed materials.
Community Partners and Staffing:
- Patchogue-Medford Union Free School District
- Patchogue Head Start and Patchogue Early Head Start
  - Scheduled librarian visits to the centers.
  - Provided information to parents on library programs, available materials, and services.
  - Invited librarians to a parent meeting, scheduled parent and child meetings in the library.
  - Assisted families with obtaining library cards.
  - Distributed flyers on library programs.
  - Communicated regularly with Project Director.
  - Provided verbal evaluation concerning the Project.
- Patchogue-Medford Adult Literacy Consortium
  - The ELL Program Coordinator assisted as follows:
  - Helped plan parent workshops in the library and in the school, and was a presenter for parent workshops.
  - Distributed publicity on library programs, materials, and services to adult students.
  - Provided ELL classes for adults in the Library two nights weekly.
  - Brought adult ELL learners to the library for visits and promoted the Literacy and Languages Center.
  - Supportive of library programs remaining involved in making connections.
Costs:
- Professional Salaries—$7,934—Project librarian and teachers
- Support Staff—$8,683—clerical and maintained duties related to grant programs
- Purchased Services—$4,680—Staff at Homework Centers and program centers
- Supplies & Materials—$8,660—Computers, program supplies and materials, bilingual kits, other ESL, printed materials.
- Travel Expenses—$62—Mileage for Project Librarian
Evaluation:
- Quantitative
  - 67 new library card applications
  - 4,000 flyers were distributed to schools, Head Start Centers and local businesses.
  - 12 story time visits to Patchogue Head Start; 436 children & teachers attended these visits.
  - Patchogue Head Start classes made 2 visits to the Library; 50 Children and 20 Adults Attended.
  - 380 books in total were purchased.
  - 49 titles were added to the Spanish Parent Collection.
  - 55 Bilingual kits were prepared
  - 29 Saturday Homework Center sessions served 230 students
  - 6 Bilingual Story times were held for parents & children together; 38 people attended.
  - 251 people attended 3 bilingual family events held in the library
  - 18 ELL Classes were held. 423 adult learners attended. 176 adults attended citizenship classes
- Qualitative
Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: The library will continue to provide most of the programs, including the homework center. Continuation for that after 06/06 will depend on funding availability. The Parent Education programs had a very low turnout; the only one that attracted any attendance also offered a story time, suggestion that it is necessary to provide children’s activities along with parent workshops. Registrations for Saturday homework help were not reliable. Book ordering, processing, and record keeping took more time then expected

Patterson Library

Deborah Williams
(716) 326-2154

Project Name: Science Happenings

Project Amount: $9,480
2004-2005

Brief Project Description: Encouraging reading in the popular content area of science and offering opportunities for students and parents to share in cooperative activities using science as the common ground to strengthen the role of parents as teachers.

Target Audience: Students in grades 3 – 8 and their parents.

Needs Addressed: Declining English/Language Arts assessment scores of the intermediate grade and middle school students in the Westfield Academy and Central School district

Specific Activities:
- Sessions on animal adaptation, forensic anthropology, chemical changes, health, primatology, paleontology, physics, and geology with guests including an administrator & two faculty members of the Westfield school, a local physician and outdoor education instructor who conducted offered at the Library
- Month-long motivational reading program offered
- One family dinner & Science Happening program evening coordinated with school
Community Partners and Staffing:
- Westfield Academy and Central School
  - Defined the need, helped develop the program elements, provided statistics, hosted student assembly programs & family dinner night, promoted grant programs to students, administration & faculty members conducted six of the eight monthly Science Happening events at the Library, aided in selection of materials, and participated in evaluation activities.
- Westfield Recreation Commission, Village of Westfield
  - Organized the bus transportation for the two field trips under the auspices of the Village of Westfield thereby providing the necessary insurance coverage for the field trips, shared in the costs of providing the trips, promoted the field trips, participated in evaluation of the field trip component
  Costs:
  - Salaries for Professional Staff $740—Children’s Program Specialist to facilitate extra work hours for Science Happening events
  - Purchased Services $3,309—Two assembly speakers, admissions to field trip sites, Science Happening presenter fees.
  - Supplies & Materials $5,432—Science library books, learning center equipment, supplies for Science Happening program sessions, food for family dinner/program night, supplies for motivational reading program, printing of 1000 promotional program brochures
  Evaluation:
  - Quantitative
    - 25 program sessions attended by 1,346 children and 236 parents
    - 200 new science book titles
    - 8 monthly Science Happening events
    - 8 monthly science–related learning stations
    - 2 library-sponsored speakers presented school assemblies
    - 2 field trip experiences coordinated with the Westfield Recreation Commission
    - 2 publicity brochures listing programs distributed to students
    - 5,040 materials distributed
    - 8 parent-child Science Happening newsletters with bibliographies on varying scientific topics were distributed
  - Qualitative
    - Each book purchased in the grant program circulated on average at least twice during the grant program period.
    - Parent-child satisfaction surveys were distributed after each Science Happening event.
    - Both field trips were very positively received and all participants indicated that they would like to return to the locations again. Many indicated further ideas for field trip experiences.
    - The two school assembly speaker presentations were described as “cool” and “awesome” by students. Teachers observed that students were more engaged and attentive than in any assemblies in recent memory.
    - Evaluations of the Science Happening sessions were glowing, one parent observed, “This is excellent. A new area that has raised great interest in the science section of the library.”
    - When asked if student would be interested in attending future Science Happening program sessions, 98% said yes.
  Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Materials will continue to be used for similar programs, and school faculty will present on a volunteer basis. Students did not respond to the learning center activities on human anatomy and health. All the other topics were widely embraced and enjoyed by all ages. It would have been better to have had a motivational reading component going on during the entire program period rather than jamming it into one month Different Offered motivational reading program throughout the program year.
  
  Poughkeepsie Public Library District
  
  Barbara Haymann-Diaz
  (845) 485-3445
  
  Project Name: Las Familias y La Biblioteca
  
  Project Amount: $10,849
  2003-2005
  
  Brief Project Description: Provide programming and improve services for Spanish speaking children and parents
  
  Target Audience: Spanish-speaking immigrant families with preschoolers and children in the lower elementary grades with low literacy skills who are not familiar with library services and other services in the community which could benefit them.
  
  Needs Addressed: An increasing number of Spanish-speaking immigrant families have moved into the City of Poughkeepsie.
  
  Specific Activities:
  - Literacy classes for the participating families.
  - Spanish language computer classes for the parents.
  - Bilingual Story times, Parent/Child Workshop, Bonding with Baby Program, Hear and Say Program.
  - Create Computer Lab for computer literacy classes.Collection development, including
    - Leap Pads and Leap Pad Books.
    - Circulating Collection of Board Books, Picture Books, Easy and Young Reader Books, including bilingual books
  Community Partners and Staffing:
  - City of Poughkeepsie School District—planning, promotion
  - Even Start —planning, promotion
  - Duchess County Department of Health and Programs for Children with Special Needs—planning, promotion
  - Astor Headstart’s ESL Program—planning, promotion
  - Mid-Hudson Migrant Education Outreach Program—planning, promotion
  - Community police and fire departments—planning
  Costs:
  - Salaries for professional staff—$2,000—project assistant salary
  - Purchased Services—$8,849—translator and Spanish language instructor
  Evaluation:
  - Quantitative
    - 20 families attended Literacy Program classes
      - total attendance 257
      - 24 classes conducted in three 8-week sessions.
  - Qualitative
    - Families participating in the project continue to come into the Children’s Room regularly to use library services.
    - Every member of the participating families has obtained a library card, uses the computers and borrows material regularly.
    - Families also bring newly arrived immigrants to the library and show them how to get a library card and use library services.
  Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Initially, it was expected that the families would stay with the program from beginning to the end. While there were a few who came regularly every week many families attended irregularly. The translator’s fee is a major expense in the project, but vital to making that first contact with non-English-speaking families and maintaining it until they are comfortable in an English-speaking environment.
  
  Queens Borough Public Library
  
  Rosanne Cerny
  (718) 990-0716
  
  Project Name: All Kids Are Special
  
  Project Amount: $25,237
  2004-2005
  
  Brief Project Description: Improve library service to children with special needs
  
  Target Audience: Parents and caregivers of children with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, as well as children’s librarians in Queens
  
  Needs Addressed: Special needs children make up 9% of the children in Queens (ages 5-20), but man librarians don’t know that simple adaptations can be made to improve services.
  
  Specific Activities:
  - 2 workshops for library staff on identifying and providing services to children with special needs
  - A parenting series at the Central Library that also addressed needs of caregivers and teachers
  - Programs for the public addressing disability issues
  - Purchased books and other materials for librarians, parents and children.
  - Developed and printed two publications.
  Community Partners and Staffing:
  - Kulanu (a Jewish social services agency)—speaker
  - “A Child’s Place” of Brooklyn Public Library—speaker
  - Queens Health Network—promotion
  - Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc. (speakers)
  Costs:
  - Purchased services—$6,000 (Programs & training, printing)
  - Books, supplies—$19,237
  Evaluation:
  - Quantitative
  - Qualitative
  Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Planned dog reading program was not implemented, due to the inability to find an organization to supply dogs and handlers.
  
  RCS Community Library
  
  Judith Felsten
  (518) 756-2053
  
  Project Name: Romp and Read, An Outreach Project to Families and Young Children
  
  Project Amount: $13,965
  2003-2005
  
  Brief Project Description: An outreach program of developmentally appropriate story/play times for families with very young children
  
  Target Audience: Families with very young children.
  
  Needs Addressed: This program is the only community-based program for families with preschool-age children and the only social/ language skills program for children under age 3. There are more applicants then spaces for local preschool programs, especially no-cost ones.
  
  Specific Activities:
  - 2 Family Fun Fairs with RCS Central Schools
  - STARS Celebration at the end of the year
  - Monthly literacy drop-in centers at three sites at WIC
  - Weekly programs at four sites during summer reading club and school year.
  Community Partners and Staffing:
  - RCS Central Schools, especially the Pre-Kindergarten Program: planning, program sites; referrals, publicity; co-sponsorship, implementation, and evaluation of Family Fun Fairs.
  - Albany County WIC: planning, outreach site.
  - Ravena CHOICES site of Albany County Cooperative Extension Service: planning, outreach site.
  - Bethlehem Grange: planning, weekly program site
  - Selkirk Fire Company # 1: planning, weekly program site
  - Village of Ravena: planning, summer program site.
  - Town of Coeymans: planning, summer program site.
  Costs:
  - Salary—$9945—Library Assistant for Community Services, 15/hours/wk
  - Employee Benefits—$1,593
  - Purchased Services—$475—Professional programming
  - Supplies and Materials—$287—board books, parenting books and videos, printing and promotional expenses, materials for programs
  - Travel—$747—mileage for Library Assistant to travel to community sites
  - Library budget covered remaining 7 hours/wk of Library Assistant’s time, as well as other supply and material expenses.
  Evaluation:
  - Quantitative
  - Qualitative
  Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: Continuing costs will be incorporated into the library budget. Another site is also being planned.
  
  Reading Room Association of Gouverneur
  Charlotte Garofalo
  (315) 287-0191
  
  Project Name: Gouverneur Library ARCH Program: A Reading Child's Happy
  
  Project Amount: $11,250
  2004-2005
  
  Target Audience: The children of these economically and educationally disadvantaged adults students with disabilities, teenage parents, TANF recipients and families with children in kindergarten through grade three. living in poverty, receiving free or reduced lunch, scoring below standards in reading or math or lacking literacy skills.
  
  Needs Addressed: 26% of the adults in the Gouverneur Central School District lack a high school diploma and 44.50% of the children are eligible for free or reduced lunch.
  
  Community Partners and Staffing:
- Friends of the Gouverneur Library
  - Assist in assembly of “learning bags”
- Gouverneur Central School District
- St. Lawrence County Head Start Family referrals
  - St. Lawrence -Lewis BOCES
  - Family referrals to programs
Evaluation:
- Quantitative
- Qualitative
Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services: The library will continue this program with funds from the Friends of the Library and by seeking outside grants from local service organizations and national organizations I was disappointed that we did not reach the number of families for which we had originally planned. I realized that my publicity was at fault.

Richmond Memorial Library

Sandra Gillard
(585) 343-9550

Project Name: Partnership For Parenting Proficiency

Project Amount: $7,102
2004-2005

Brief Project Description: Parenting workshops with story time for children for families lacking parenting skills.

Target Audience: Families from within the county’s Drug Court and Family Court

Needs Addressed: There are many parents within the court system who do not have the basic skills and information to do their best when it comes to raising children. Many of these parents did not have good role models when they were children. They are also often economically and educationally disadvantaged.

Specific Activities:
- 4 parenting workshops that incorporated topics such as nutrition, coping skills, conflict management, and family literacy. These programs held at the library, were planned and conducted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension Association 4 weekly programs for parents (the series was repeated 3 times during the grant year)
- Storytime programs, conducted by library staff, held in the Children’s Room of the Richmond Memorial Library while the workshops for parents were held in an alternate meeting space.
- Creation of a “Parenting Center” on special mobile shelving in the Children’s Room of the Richmond Memorial Library. Including books, videos, CDs, DVDs, etc.
- Bookmarks and bibliographies to promote the materials and services of the grant.
Community Partners and Staffing:
- Cornell Cooperative Extension Association—planning, programming
- Dispute Settlement Center (Family Mediation Program)—planning, coordination, referrals
- Genesee County Family Court—planning, referrals
- Batavia City Court – Drug Court—planning, referrals
Costs:
- Purchased services $300 Parenting workshop leaders from Cornell Cooperative Extension
- Supplies and Materials $6617 Materials and equipment for resource collection and supplies for story time
- Purchased Services with BOCES $260 copying bibliographies and bookmarks
Evaluation:
- Quantitative
- Qualitative
Changes/Recommendations/Ongoing Services:

The library will continue all the activities of this grant using library funds. Materials often needed to be ordered from companies rather then though a jobber, which caused delays. Programs could be offered less often, and the age range of children was too broad for a single story time program. Parenting sessions often ran long, which was difficult for children.

Last Updated: December 8, 2010

Library Development

2004-2005 Grant Project Reports

Allegany Public Library

Brooklyn Public Library

Carthage Free Library

Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery

Field Library, Inc., The

Geneva Free Library

Guilderland Public Library, The

James Prendergast Library Association

Liberty Public Library

Mahopac Public Library

The New York Public Library

Olean Public Library

Patchogue-Medford Library

Patterson Library

Poughkeepsie Public Library District

Queens Borough Public Library

RCS Community Library

Richmond Memorial Library

The New York State Library is a unit within the

University of the State of New York - New York State Education Department