The idea of the fair was a "one-stop childcare"...parents could come to one location to talk to several different childcare or preschool facilities--thus helping to alleviate the need to call and visit many different places when they were looking.
In January I wrote to about 25 preschools and daycares within the valley to invite them to participate in the fair. In February I emailed another invitation. In early March I visited several childcare centers to invite them personally. For all that...I got four centers (two low-income preschool/daycares, 1 preschool, and 1 after school/summer camp center) and an Early Achievers rep.
That was kind of disappointing...I was hoping for at least 10. But what was MORE disappointing was having just 2 (yes, only TWO) families come to the fair.
Thoughts about the fair...
- Idea driven vs. member driven program--is it really meeting needs?
- Basement meeting room is not an ideal place
- Is Saturday afternoon the best time?
- Didn't get the publicity it really needed--a flyer just doesn't cut it!
- Though I am not assigned as the outreach storytime presenter to most of the preschools/daycares I invited, I either need to make personal contact sooner or really encourage the presenters to talk up the fair when they visit.
My boss has already said we will be doing the fair again next year...soooooo...what will I do differently to make it more successful next year?
1 comment:
Hi Tammy,
I LOVE reading your blog and picking up new ideas. I feel your pain re: the disappointing turnout for your Daycare Fair. Some thoughts I had:
1)Every community, of course, is different, but maybe another day/time might work better. Perhaps an "after-work" time frame? It might appeal to those who have kids in daycare (but who are looking into other daycare options due to cost, location, services offered, etc.), or those whose kids will be going from daycare into preschool. It could be scheduled so that parents could pick up their child from daycare and stop at the library on their way home.
2) Some grocery stores and fast food places advertise foods that are ideal for picking up on the way home from work. ("Too tired to cook? Pick up a bucket of our tasty chicken (or whatever) on your way home tonight!") Maybe some of these places could offer free samples during the event. (I call this the Field of Dreams approach to library programming: If you feed them, they will come!)
3) Was there anything planned for the kids during the event? If not, maybe consider offering a simple storytime or a place where kids can play games, color, listen to music, etc. while parents are browsing the tables. Perhaps use teen volunteers or a recognized group (e.g. girl scout troop, high school service club members) to care for the kids so that parents can browse the fair uninterrupted.
4) If you have a school supply store or Fat Brain Toys-type store, maybe they could be persuaded to donate a gift card or merchandise to be used as a door prize. Also, the above mentioned food establishments who cater to busy working parents might donate a gift card. (This is directly related to the Field of Dreams theorem: If you offer them free stuff, they will come!)
5) Not sure what to do about the basement meeting room, since I don't know what else you might have available. Any way it could be done out in the library itself, as LaVista and Keene Memorial Libraries did for the Presenters' Fair during the SRP workshop in past years?
I hope some of this might spark some new ideas! Kep up the great work, my friend!
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