A Dramatic Entrance

Most libraries miss the boat when it comes to cooperating on Web sites with community organizations. So it was great to learn that the Seattle Public Library and the King County(WA) Library System (KCLS) got on board with the Seattle Children's Theatre to launch a Web site that promotes both of their missions: The Library Bookshelf.

Born from a Bookmark: Chance Hunt (chance.hunt@spl.org), Seattle PL's coordinator of children's services, was children'soutreach librarian for KCLS in 1996. One day, he says, "a bookmark advertising one of the Seattle Children's Theatre (SCT) productions caught my eye." The bookmark suggested titles for children to read to accompany the theater production. Hunt knew Deborah Frockt, SCT's literary manager, so he called her and offered the services of the children's librarians at KCLS to put together reading lists for their upcoming season.

Next Stop the Web: Seattle Children's Theatre does many adaptations of children's literature - - from Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse to The Witch of Blackbird Pond - - and KCLS alreadysaw families checking out books to read before or after attending a play. The bookmarks suggested related titles, which, says Hunt, "not only helped to broaden the experience for the children, but also helped boost circulation of other titles." After Hunt joined Seattle PL in 1998, he worked with SPL Webmaster Nancy Wildin to post the lists on an attractive Web site that links to information about the libraries, as well as to the SCT site.

More Connections: Hunt is now working on reaching out to other community nonprofits that serve families, such as the Children's Museum and the Seattle Symphony, both of which have expressed interest in creating reading lists fortheir exhibits and concerts.