ImagineIF aims to supply library cards to all Kalispell first-graders
A child poses with his library card at ImagineIF in Kalispell. The orange card will be one of the color options students can choose from as part of a goal to get all first-graders signed up to receive library cards. The goal is part of a larger initiative called Partners in Education. (Photo courtesy of ImagineIF)
Tony Edmundson of ImagineIF in Columbia Falls helps a student look up reserach materials. ImagineIF recently launched Partners in Education, The library recently launched Partners in Education, an initiative aimed to better assist teachers and students in finding and accessing research materials. (Photo courtesy of ImagineIF)
ImagineIF is seeking to get a library card in the hand of every first-grader.
The library launched its literary effort with Kalispell Public Schools by encouraging teachers to bring in the 343 first-graders currently enrolled.
“First grade is a great time to start learning that responsibility of taking care the card and coming to the library regularly and start checking out books,” ImagineIF Senior Librarian Martha Furman said.
Furman said the idea stems from an elementary teacher who brought in her first-grade classes to get their own library cards, which caught on with her colleagues.
“So we thought, why not make this a community tradition where all first-grade classes come in,” Furman said.
“Other districts are welcome to participate as well at their [library] locations. We’re kind of testing out the process with School District 5 where we’re coordinating with teachers and administrators. Then, we’ll do more targeted marketing for Columbia Falls and Bigfork school districts.”
Teachers may print out library card applications to send home with students and then return the completed forms to the library and schedule a visit. Furman said the Kalispell location can host between eight to 10 class visits a month.
“We prepare all the cards and we have a really fun little ceremony where they come up, and they get it, and they take it over to their teacher and sign the back, and that day they usually get to pick one or two books to take home,” Furman said.
The library card goal is one piece of a larger Partners in Education initiative. The focus of the recently launched Partners in Education initiative is to present available resources and services geared to students and teachers throughout the valley in a centralized way.
The focus of the initiative is found on the ImagineIF website, where staff have grouped links connecting teachers and students to reputable academic resources and collections to aid them in homework and research; services local librarians offer such as teacher trainings, class presentations and visits, and events going on at the library.
“The basic idea is to bundle all resources into one package so teachers, students and parents find things they need in one place,” Furman said.
Most of the resources compiled on the Partners in Education page related to research are accessed using a library card number. In addition to the ImagineIF card catalog, there are links to help students and teachers access e-books and audio; Montana history; databases of full-text magazines, periodicals, reference books and biographies; book recommendations based on reading level and interest; and instructional art and craft videos.
Furman highlighted a new support service for teachers called Homework Alerts. Using this feature, teachers can notify librarians about upcoming assignments through an online form. Teachers can request librarians set aside materials and provide special instructions for an assignment or research project.
“It’s just a way for us to work more closely with teachers and make sure that students are getting all of the resources that they have here in the area that they might not otherwise know about,” Furman said.
For more information call ImagineIF Library at 406-758-5826.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.