Summer Reading is upon us. Our program starts on Monday. We have been CRAZY with school visits this May and I'm hoping we'll see a lot of those smiling faces at the library this summer.
It's a busy time of year for your public children's librarians and I have a plan that I hope will help me stay healthy and sane until I get to take my week of vacation in August. ;)
1. Stay hydrated. No, really. So often I come home feeling crappy and realize that I can't remember when I last drank some water. Summer is a busy time; we're on our feet for much of the day helping people find what they're looking for. DRINK WATER throughout the day!
2. Take time off when I can. Although as a department head, I am salaried, my administration is very supportive of us adjusting our schedules and taking time off if we have to stay late or come in to cover. Sometimes that's not possible in the busy summer months, but serving on the Newbery Committee last year (when I HAD to leave on time to go home and read a million books) has taught me that I usually CAN make up those hours. Now I make sure that I do whenever possible.
3. Keep exercising. Summer Reading wears me out! I'm often tired when I get home, but I know that I feel better if I can stick to my exercise routine. Having great audiobooks helps keep me motivated, and I'm hoping to make it to yoga class at least once a week (hopefully this summer. It helps me deal with stress and weight-bearing exercise like walking or yoga helps prevent osteoporosis! Did you know that, ladies?!
4. Let myself read fun-for-me books. Okay, most books I read are fun for me, but this school year I've been so focused on reading things that I can take to elementary and middle schools to book talk that I let other reading slide. While summer is a great time to prep for next year, I'll read some adult and YA titles for fun this summer.
What are YOUR summer survival strategies?