Libraries Targeting Children

Chatham PL coffee shop with used books, play area in front

Countless people I know credit their local library with starting their love affair with books. Yes, parents probably read to them and introduced them to the library. But the neat thing was, you could go there on your own and select books yourself.

I grew up one block from the town of Garrett Park, MD, and at that time my siblings and I walked or ran across a big field (now a parking lot) along a well-trod path. Once inside the tiny building (now part of a nursery school) we browsed the shelves.

There's now a much larger Kensington Park library about 1.5 miles down the road, and the former Kensington Noyes Library is a children's library -- to which my sister takes her granddaughter.

Fond as I remain of all those libraries, the best library for children I've been in is the Chatham, Illinois Public Library. Part library, part huge play area, part cafe and used book sales room, and part genealogy room. Oh, and lots of room to do puzzles.

I wish I could show pictures of the dozens upon dozens of children who visit most mornings during the summer, but I would never ask parents to let me put their kids' pictures on the Internet. You'll have to be content with photos of the space itself.

On the left is a main area of activity. The table at the forefront is one on which kids play with cars and trucks. Note the playhouse on the left.

Even on a quiet day, it's busy. To get the photo at left, I had to take several shots. Each time I thought I had one without a child, one would stream into the frame.

On the right (in the same photo) is a smaller play house. Toward the back is one of several book sections.

And the tree? It's a walk-through space, with a toddler slide at the front.

Below, on the right, is the reading cubby, which gives kids a private place to curl up with a book.

While it is certainly used a fair bit, the interactive nature of the place has the kids sometimes too busy to go off by themselves to read.

Book cubby for a quiet space

This summer, the theme of the summer reading program is "a universe of stories." Lots of prizes, many reasons to come to the library to win them -- and see friends. -- Elaine L. Orr --

Toddler Tree Slide

A Universe of Stories

Resources for Your Writing Business

     I find many authors don’t put on their business cap until they have something to sell. There is nothing ‘wrong’ with that perspective, in fact it’s what I did. 

However, if you do want to start or change careers, you’ll consider such things as who you are writing to, how many books you’ll need to sell at which price to make a certain amount of money, and how to manage the businesses processes.

Maybe you’ll do your own taxes and file a Schedule C. Or should you set up an LLC – limited liability corporation? Don’t ask me, ask your accountant. You need an accountant? Possibly.

To be clear, I do not advocate that we right-brain creative types stop writing and do a lot of left-brain work to establish a business. That can come later, for most of us.

Write that book first.

RESOURCES

The Business of Being a Writer, Jane Friedman

Possibly the best overview of what you need to know after you write your book. You get an excellent work at the publishing world, too. Kindle and paperback.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B9MB32X

The Indie Author Business Plan

Good overview, with a downloadable workbook. If you like multi-media learning, this is a good place to start.

Kimberly Grabas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyoVIN2T0sg

7 Elements for a Nonfiction Writer’s Business Plan

An overview that could be helpful whether you write fiction or nonfiction.

http://writenonfictionnow.com/7-key-elements-successful-nonfiction-writers-business-plan/

 

A Long-Term View of the Indie Author Business with Liliana Hart

42 minutes, but a good example of building to success in the real world.Hart (who has sold more than 3 million books) also compares Amazon and ibooks – not saying one is better, but discussing differences. Apple has 7 billion devices out there. I learned a lot watching this, especially about the Apple market for audiobooks.

The podcast interview is conducted by author/publisher Joanna Penn.

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/podcasts/

Tonya Price’s site deals with business aspects of writing. Her book on the writer’s business plans is comprehensive. Just looking at the description gives you a sense of things to consider.

https://www.businessbooksforwriters.com/blog/

Your tax dollars at work – Small Business Administration overview and links on preparing a business plan. A good reference point, but too much to think about if this is all new to you.

https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/write-your-business-plan

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To learn more about Elaine L. Orr, visit her website, www.elaineorr.com.