Book Bundles were my dream before I even came to my new (okay, it’s been two years and I should really stop calling it “new”) library #2. I had actually already done the research on what other area libraries offered for circulating early literacy kits and I had planned to write a grant for library #1 sometime in the spring of 2014.
That changed when I moved to library #2 in February of 2014.
Lucky for me, I was told in my second interview that library #2 wanted to revamp their circulating early literacy kits! My eyes lit up and my heart went pitter-patter. One of my first tasks at library #2 was working on a Target early literacy grant (which sadly does not exist any longer) and library #2 received one of the last grants handed out in the fall of 2014.
We had several meetings about the kits at the library. Our original kits were designed for grandparents to use with visiting grandchildren. These new kits were going to be marketed directly to the kids themselves. Later in the planning stages, it was also decided to make some kits specifically geared towards parents/caregivers for milestone moments.
The Details
Book Bundles
- I created twelve Book Bundle themes: 123s, ABCs, Animals, Colors, Community Helpers, Feelings, My Body, Nursery Rhymes, Shapes, Time, Transportation, Weather.
- The backpacks were purchased from 4Imprint and are the “On the Move” Backpack style.
- Book Bundles are shelved on the floor with a zip-tie securing the backpack closed. (I specifically bought a backpack that featured two zipper pulls on the same zipper for this to work.)
- Logo was sketched hastily by me on a scratch piece of paper and fully realized by our fabulous graphic designer.
- For each Book Bundle, I made both an Inventory and an Activity Guide.
- Once a week one of our adult volunteers checks the returned Book Bundles against the Inventory sheet and then staff checks them in, backdating to date patron returned the item.
- They circulate for two weeks, with a fine of $1.00 per day if returned late. That’s the library’s standard for media kits like Rokus, Nooks, Kindles, etc..
Parenting Packs
- I created eight unique Parenting Pack themes: First Trip on an Airplane, Healthy Eating, New Baby in the House, Potty Training for Boys, Potty Training for Girls, Starting School, Staying in the Hospital, Visiting the Doctor.
- Since I knew it was likely that several of these packs would be high in demand, I doubled New Baby in the House and both Potty Training packs. This bring our total of packs to eleven.
- We named them Parenting Packs rather than “Parent Packs” because all caregivers do parenting but not all caregivers are parents.
- The totes were purchased from the Container Store and are the Reisenthel Fabric Storage Boxes. They sadly do not make the Ruby Dots pattern anymore which really stinks for me since I have new Parenting Packs that I’d like to debut!
- I punched two grommets into the boxes so that I could secure them on the floor. I use two zip-ties to keep everything in the box before checkout.
- I pulled a variety of images and texts that I liked and our amazing graphic designer created the logo.
- For each Parenting Pack, I made an Inventory and Activity Guide (the same as the Book Bundles, just different logos). I also wrote a Resources Guide that talks about the milestone event and hopefully provides support for caregivers who want more information.
- Once a week one of our adult volunteers checks the returned Parenting Packs against the Inventory sheet and then staff checks them in, backdating to date patron returned the item.
- They circulate for two weeks, with a fine of $1.00 per day if returned late. That’s the library’s standard for media kits like Rokus, Nooks, Kindles, etc..
Circulation of both Book Bundles and Parenting Packs is handled through the Kids & Teens Department. We help patrons check them out at the self-check and then cut the zip-ties off of their kit. After our volunteer inventories the kits, we backdate the item and check it in, zip-tie it, and it goes back out on the floor.
I made binders that are housed by each collection so that patrons can browse what’s inside the bags without needing to look inside. We also have a bookmark that lists each theme for both collections that patrons can take home or reference.
Over the next twenty weeks, I’ll be showing off a kit a week so you’ll get to see what was chosen and why.
And that’s about it in terms of specifics in getting the kits put together. Technical Services helped SO MUCH in creating a catalog record for these items from scratch and making sure all the materials got tagged with the barcode. I am so appreciative of how everyone at the library works together to make my dreams come true!
storytime katie 
I’m excited to see what’s inside each!
Hope you’re enjoying them as they’ve been posting so far!
Thank you for sharing all your hard work!
Thank you for reading!
Yay! What a great idea! I look forward to seeing the parenting packs.
Parenting Packs will likely premiere in late July/early August!
so awesome… I’ve thought about doing something like this to.. just curious does your library have to circulate it to other libraries? Or are the kits exclusive to your library only. I’m wondering how to get around the fact that our library system has 24 branches just on our island of Oahu…
We only circulate here at this library. Our library is in a 77-library consortium. Other library patrons are welcome to check out the kits but must check and return them here at our library. (The kits won’t fit in our consortium’s sorting bins.)
Hi…Approximately how much was your grant for? I am working on submitting ones for similar type products and adding early literacy training for daycare and preschool providers as part of having packs available for those teachers. Or if you had a magic number to fill in for what you wished you could have added what would it be?
Thanks
p.s. These are awesome looking. I love the boxes.
The original grant was for $2000 and funded all 33 kits. We did receive $1000 more and I will be updating/creating new kits soon!
I sent you an email. We got funded for a similar project and I need some help. Thanks:)
Wonderful idea! We’ve done some book bundles in a less formal way: we have tote bags into which we put about 6-8 books on a given theme. But I really love the Parenting Pack idea.
They are all a big hit here!
Hi,
Would it be possible to obtain copies of your activity guides for the Time and My Body Book Bundles.
No, I’m sorry. The activity guides are specific to my library and community.