Haleigh's Practicum Diary

Date: 6/23/26

Time Worked: 8:30am-5pm (approx. 8 hours)

Name: Haleigh Hare

Supervisor’s name: Marisa Bateman/ Taylor Brannan (Marisa is supervising my entire experience within the D.C. Public Library System, while Taylor is supervising me in this specific, Georgetown Neighborhood Library, branch)

Description of the Day:

Today was another Tuesday, which meant it was time for LEGO Club again. Last week only one child attended, but this week was a completely different story. The room was full of children and their families, and it was exciting to see the program so well attended. I figured the increase in attendance was because DC Public Schools had officially let out for the summer, making it easier for families to participate in afternoon library programs. There was so much energy in the room, and the kids were incredibly enthusiastic about showing off their creations and working together. It was rewarding to see the program being used exactly as it was intended—as a place where children could be creative, socialize, and simply have fun. At the same time, I quickly learned that a busy children’s program requires a lot more than setting out materials and letting the fun begin.

As the afternoon went on, I found myself helping supervise the room and making sure everyone was using the shared materials respectfully. A few times I walked back into the meeting room to find LEGO bricks scattered all over the floor, and at one point I noticed a child standing on a chair while reaching for pieces. Rather than simply picking everything up myself, I paused the activity for a moment and asked everyone to help clean the floor before continuing to build. I explained that the bricks had become a safety hazard and that we all shared responsibility for taking care of the space. The children responded well, and within a few minutes the room was much safer and easier for everyone to enjoy. One thing I did find a little frustrating was that some of the adults were not very engaged, leaving staff to redirect behaviors that could have been addressed by caregivers. Even so, I was happy to see so many children enjoying the program, and I reminded myself that every family comes to the library with different expectations and experiences.

The rest of the library stayed just as busy as LEGO Club, so there was never a shortage of things to do. Between helping patrons find materials, tidying up the children’s area, and answering questions at the desk, I also printed fresh coloring sheets for families and made sure they knew we had puzzles available for children to use while visiting the library. During some quieter moments, I continued working on my Disability Pride Month book display by experimenting with different flyer designs in Canva. It was fun to think creatively about how to make the display eye-catching while still communicating its purpose. I also placed holds on books from across the DC Public Library system that I hoped to feature. Some of the titles were recommended by the Center for Accessibility, others came from online discussions about disability representation in children’s literature, and a few were suggestions from staff members at the library. I enjoyed seeing how many people contributed ideas, and it reminded me that creating a thoughtful display is really a collaborative effort. By the end of the day, I felt like I was becoming more confident balancing public service, program support, and creative projects all within the same shift.

Pictured above is the computer at the Children’s Desk as I design the flyer for my planned book display. I used Canva to create a design, incorporating the colors from the Disability Pride Month flag. I ended up changing it slightly to make the letters easier to see.