Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Pierce County Library Programs

I think it's safe to say that it's official: this October and November, I will be presenting eight musical storytime programs for the Pierce County Library System. I'll have the dates and times listed on my homepage (Farida Dowler Storyteller) once the specifics are finalized. I've also got some daycare center gigs lined up, with the distinct possibility of one becoming a monthly affair. I don't have any more birthday party gigs planned, but those requests often come short-notice. However, the last birthday party gig I had, the mother had booked me eight weeks ahead of time, and we had a chance to trade emails and bounce off various ideas.

Coming up soon: Pajama Storytime at Island Books on Thursday, June 26, Preschool Storytime at Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park) on Friday, June 27, and Arts in the Afternoon at the Children's Museum on Thursday, July 3. My website lists times and links.

10 comments:

Anamaria (bookstogether) said...

Congratulations! You're in demand. Can't wait to hear more about the library programs--are you developing eight different themes for them?

Clydesdale Jogger said...

Fantastic! I'd tell you to break a leg, but, well, you know, my nightmares would come back. Seriously though, congratulations!

Lone Star Ma said...

WOW. It seems like you barely started your business and you are already a resounding success! That's fabulous! Congratulations!

Saints and Spinners said...

Thanks, everyone!

Ananamaria: I'll just have one straightforward songs and stories program for all of them with some variation. I usually don't do themes for anything more than a general sense.

K.Jay: No, no more broken legs, please. Maybe it's time to retire that avert-bad-luck phrase and lean toward the positive.

LSM: Resound, resound! Thanks.

Timothy Carter said...

Farida:

Congrats on the gig. Way to go!

Perhaps you can help me with something. I'm trying to get my novel Epoch into more libraries. Do you have any advice? And could you maybe suggest it to the Pierce County people for me? I would be very grateful!

Again, congratulations!
- Tim

Saints and Spinners said...

Timothy: Thanks! Just so you know, I have no more official ties to any library system. Even my reviews for School Library Journal say, "Formerly of..." The best way to go about things would be to have your publisher send copies of your books to review journals... maybe even to the collection development heads of systems. Many systems are so centralized now. What I can do for you as a friend is submit "purchase suggestions" to these different library systems and hope for the best.

Saints and Spinners said...

Update: Seattle Public Library has 9 copies of Epoch, and King County Library System has 10. Rock on, Timothy!

Anonymous said...

Woo hoo! Way to go, you! :)!

Unknown said...

Wow! For my money there is no one braver than an individual on a stage with a guitar.

A little personal whining time: As I read this and earlier posts about library storytime programs, I can't for the life of me remember any such programs at my library when I was a kid, and I spent a fair bit of time at the
library (it was a short bike ride away). Maybe I just missed them as a I methodically worked my way through the "Values Biographies" series. Is the growth of these programs a fairly recent thing?

--goddess of clarity

Saints and Spinners said...

Goddess Lori: I don't remember too many of these programs, either, when I was a child, but I know that my mom as the children's librarian in a library independent of the county system booked programs as the budget allowed. That's what it really comes down to: budget. Public Libraries in this era are more community centers than depositories of knowlege and places for quiet study.

Anyone else want to weigh in?