Auburn Library holds scavenger hunt

Pam Schiff
Posted 4/22/15

On Tuesday evening, March 10, the Cranston Public Library’s Auburn Branch held a special scavenger hunt for patrons and their families. In total, about 60 people participated.

The Rhode Island …

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Auburn Library holds scavenger hunt

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On Tuesday evening, March 10, the Cranston Public Library’s Auburn Branch held a special scavenger hunt for patrons and their families. In total, about 60 people participated.

The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI) is a consortium of the Providence Public Library, Providence Community Library, Pawtucket Public Library, East Providence Library and Cranston library.

In Cranston, classes are held at the Auburn, William Hall and Central branches. The classes are for English language learners and those working to obtain U.S. citizenship. At the Auburn Branch, classes meet Monday and Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“The classes are so large that we need to borrow classroom space from the Church of the Ascension, next door. Because our classes are held in the evening, students with children ages three to 10 may bring them along. Children’s teachers and volunteers help the school-age kids with homework while the little ones get educational activities and stories,” said Karen McGrath, Auburn’s branch librarian.

Because the classes are now spread out between two buildings, library staffers wanted an activity to bring everyone together and to encourage library use.

“I suggested the scavenger hunt and developed it. Katy Dorchies, the community engagement manager for Cranston Public Libraries, created a map of the building for me.

The reference librarian at Central branch, Lisa Zawadzki, helped me create the game board. Fran Micheletti, Auburn part-time staff, and Paula Meinel, volunteer, helped me create the caches of stickers. Students had to find the items on the game board and then take a sticker from the cache and place it on the correct item on the board,” McGrath said.

At the program, McGrath spoke to all the adults about how to get a library card and the myriad services and materials that the library provides for free.  Many of them come from countries that don’t have a free public library system.

“The children then joined us, I explained the game, and off they went. It was wonderful – one of the highlights in my 28 years here. Children helped their parents, parents helped the little ones, adults with more English language skills helped those with less. The teachers and volunteers facilitated everywhere. I issued library cards to those without. I’d made 70 Whoopie pies as prizes. Once they found all 15 items – a cookbook, newspaper, computer, board book, encyclopedia, photocopier, literacy book, DVD movie, graphic novel, travel book, fairy tale, borrow/return desk, library catalog, library card and a book about an artist – they came for their prizes,” she said.

The goal was for everyone to have a positive library experience. Some of the adult students borrowed material they never had before.

“We’ll definitely do it again. I’ve never had such a successful program with RIFLI  before,” McGrath said.

For more information about programs at the Cranston libraries, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

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