Kids Craft at Library Social
May 3, 2017
The library hosted a tie dye activity after school on April 20 for both Campolindo and home schooled students from the Lamorinda area. The Contra Costa library staff provided T-shirts, markers, cardboard, and design ideas for all who attended.
“Having them socialize and getting them to meet the other teenagers was great. Also it was a chance for them to get to see our campus, because maybe when they get to high school age, they might want to come here,” said Campo librarian Sarah Morgan.
According to Morgan, the home-school students learned about the event from flyers. “I enjoyed meeting them, and the moms too, because it was interesting to talk to them, and they were glad they could meet the Moraga librarian too, who was here.”
Sophomore Katie Ye said the social atmosphere helped them “just get to know some of the librarians. We tried to talk to the home schooled kids but they were pretty shy. Although I did talk to this girl named Noelle; she was really cool. She was from orchestra, so we talked about Mr. Noel. The other home schooled kids were more shy, but I shared markers with them.”
“I came this time to the tie dye activity because I really like tie dye and it was a lot easier because it wasn’t actual tie dye; you drew on a design with markers and then you put alcohol on it,” Ye explained.
Contra Costa librarian Lauren Jackson coordinated the event. “We’ve been having programs once a month for teens here at the library starting in January this year,” she said. “We’ll have another one in May.”
According to Jackson, the purpose of the tie dye activity was “to encourage everyone to realize that the library isn’t just books but it is fun. We have lots of different things we can offer at the library for programs that everyone can come to. We want to encourage people to come to the library.”
Ye has gone to multiple activities that the library has hosted this year. “The library just started doing a lot of activities for the kids at Campo and around Moraga, so before, I went to this coding activity and it was super fun and the librarians are all really sweet,” she said.
Jackson said, “I think by coming here at the library and working with the librarian at Campo, Ms. Morgan, we feel like we are offering a study break and an opportunity for students to appreciate the community and be more engaged in a community, not just a separate building with books in it.”
For Ye, the tie dye activity encouraged her latent artistic talents to shine. “I actually really needed this because I haven’t been able to be creative in so long, it was so nice to hang out with my friends and take a break from school” she said.
