Collecting Library Stories
Thank you for being inclusive of children with all learning abilities. Though both boys were nervous and intimidated at first, once they saw that the program was not like school, they had fun. After class, both boys – on their own – wrote short stories with drawings and used the adjectives they had learned.
Marianne Reeves, youth services librarian at the Jupiter Branch of Palm Beach County Library System (PBCLS), knew that stories like this, submitted by a regular visitor who brought her learning-disabled son and his friend to a creative writing program, could be a powerful way of demonstrating her library’s value.
However, the methods they used to collect stories were limited and inconsistent.
Reeves wanted to improve efforts to collect and use patron stories.
To come up with a plan, she interviewed PBCLS staffers, plus leaders at libraries and organizations with excellent storytelling systems.
Recommendations and benefits
Her recommendations were:
- Identify how stories can be collected and shared
- Create a Web form so patrons can share stories and photos on the library’s website
- Encourage library staff to be library advocates and actively collect stories
- Designate a Story Bank Coordinator to develop and manage a story database
Reeves envisioned a number of benefits as a result of the project, such as:
- Strengthened relationships between staff and patrons
- Greater awareness of library offerings
- Recognition of library staff providing exceptional service
- Increased donations and support
- Growing library use
Videos
Since Reeves embarked on her project, PBCLS has incorporated patron stories in some of its YouTube videos.
Patrons love the Acreage Branch Library
PBCLS encourages patrons to visit the new bookmobile
PowerPoint presentation
For more details on Reeves’ project, take a look at her presentation, Telling Our Library Stories:
