The Chicago Ridge Public Library was awarded an LSTA Grant entitled, Chicago Ridge “T” Time. The grant gave the library the opportunity to bring together the pre-kindergarten through 8th grade public and private school community in Chicago Ridge.  A partnership was formed to develop and support the curriculum needs of five local schools.

“T” Time is made up of a four pronged approach:

• Library technology training for public and private school teachers
• Circulating library thematic bins for curriculum enhancement
• Book talk, book walks a program to highlight the thematic bins
• The development of a professional teachers’ collection.

The “T” Time staff sent a letter to each teacher in the school community in October 2007 inviting teachers to an hour-long open house.  As the teachers arrived for the open house they were greeted by the “T” Time staff and welcomed into the library’s meeting room.  The  “T” Time logo was projected on a screen as teachers entered.  Food and tea (to go with the “T” time theme) were provided by local contribution.  On every seat was a packet; multiple folder colors were chosen to create an “inviting atmosphere.” 

The Project Director began with introducing the “T” Time staff and providing an overview of grant activities.  The Library Database Trainers then spent 45 minutes training the teachers on how to access and use the library subscription databases that best meet their needs as elementary and middle school educators.  All the library’s subscription databases have been purchased with library funds.  After the conclusion of the program the teachers picked up their teacher loan cards at the Circulation Desk.  One hundred and one teachers attended the library open houses. 

Categories were developed for the circulating thematic bins.  The categories were created by evaluating the needs stated by teachers in a teaching tools survey conducted in April 2007 and by suggestions given at the grant open houses in October.  Bins have been made for the following topics:  Ancient Civilizations; Animals; Art/Artists; Black History Month; Body Systems; Character Counts; Civil War; Colonial America/Revolution; Communities/Community Helpers; Dinosaurs; Electricity/Magnetism; Explorers; Grammar/Language Arts; Holocaust/World War II; Math-Basic and Various; Money; Mythology-Greek, Roman; Native Americans; Phonics; Planets; Plants; Presidents and Presidents Day; U.S. Geography; U.S. States and Capitals; and World Geography and History. Each thematic bin is made up of four parts: books, teacher’s resources, fun stuff, and Internet/Database pathfinders.

In March “T” Time staff brought thematic bins and new books from the professional teachers’ collection to each school for a “show and tell” during the schools in-service day.  “T” Time staff entered the schools wearing lifejackets to begin dialogue among the teachers about the thematic bins and proposed to the teachers that just as a lifejacket can be their “lifesaver” if they are in the water, thematic bins could be their “lifesaver” when planning and implementing lessons.

Administrators and teachers were encouraged to look through and try-out the materials in the bins. The response from the administrators and teachers was wonderful. They were walking around looking through the materials, discussing with each other how the materials fit in with their curriculum and commenting on the uniqueness of the materials. In April teachers were invited to the library for a thematic bin open house. Teachers were able to look through each of the 25 bins and could reserve a bin to check out at the end of the event.

“T” Time staff created a locally funded Wiki to showcase the grant. Teachers can easily log on to this site to learn about library databases, how to apply for a teacher loan card, see what each thematic bin contains, locate Internet pathfinders to support the bin topics, and learn about the items in the bins through book talks, book walks. The Wiki address is http://ttimeatcrpl.pbwiki.com/