Initial Reflection

The Lexington Public Library

At first glance, The Lexington Public Library doesn't seem like anything more than just that - a library. However, it is a very complex system. The library's community is built from a central library, 5 neighborhood branches, and an extremely active outreach department. The outreach department consists of a multitude of programs open to the Lexington community: 

• Art theater for live performances
• Storytime Bus to take reading programs to local day care centers
• A job lab open to people looking for help building resumes
• Bilingual Homework Help program
• English classes
• Art gallery filled with local artwork

Homework Help

Offered by the Village Branch of the Lexington Public Library, Homework Help is a program designed to assist children with their homework, foster their love for reading, and provide them with positive interactions. The Village Branch was established in 2004 and immediately noticed a need for homework help. Since then, the library has been serving an average of 40 kids a night from Monday through Thursday. Wow! This is where I come into the picture. I will be helping with the Homework Help program on Monday nights. Throughout the semester, I hope to not only help kids with their homework, but also help them understand the concepts that they're struggling with. Hopefully, since I will be there on a weekly basis, some of the children and I will form relationships. I want to be someone they can look up to.

Initial Visit

This past Monday (9/14) was my first time working at the Lexington Public Library. Before arriving I was a little unsure what to expect, although I was excited that I would be working with children. However, upon my arrival I quickly realized there was nothing to worry about. The process was simple; the kids signed in at the Homework Help computer, and the volunteers called out their names one by one until all the kids had an adult. The first girl that I was working with was very shy. However, by the time we finished reviewing her spelling words, she was telling me all about her family. It was reassuring that she felt comfortable talking to me. The next girl I helped had no problem filling me in on her life. She was cracking me up telling me stories about her sister and her riding her scooter. By the time we finished her research report, it was already time to go! I couldn't believe how fast the time went. In between getting help with their homework, the kids would get a snack, read books, and play with the other kids. It was nice seeing the kids enjoy themselves even though they had to work on homework because I know that sometimes school can make kids tired and crabby. Since this past visit I only worked with younger kids, I hope that in the future I work with some older kids too. My next visit will be tomorrow and I am looking forward to it. 

-Sam