HIT: REPOST: Story Steps (fwd)

[Angus Saunders <saunders@NORTHNET.ORG>]

What can I say? I'm old. I forgot the no attachments criteria, so here it
is as text.

Best, Angus

From: Hilda Jay <hlj002@ns1.wmc.car.md.us>
To: Angus Saunders <saunders@NORTHNET.ORG>
Subject: Re: Target: ELEM:  Story stairs.

If you subscrib e to the idea that to cope with program growth and its
attendant relocations you want everything in thelibrary to be moveable,
these story steps are the pits.  Of course, in time you can floor over the
area and regain the lost space if the steps go down vs being raised.  We
have a local school where 1/3 of the library is one of these.  Academic
integration just was not among the architect's concepts.

Hilda L. Jay
Collington
hlj002@ns1.wmc.car.md.us




To: Angus Saunders <saunders@NORTHNET.ORG>
From: tkc@kuentos.guam.net (T. K. Cassidy)
Subject: Re: Target: ELEM:  Story stairs.
Status: RO
X-Status:

One of our branches has a "pit" with a normal step all around the center.
It=
 gives us a place to sit with out tables and chairs. Sometimes I drag
every=
 pillow I canfind with me and try to fill up the pit as uch as possible.
The=
 kids love to lay on the pillow and listen to us read!

Slainte! Guam is 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (USA) --
Living' in the future -- ain't Life grand!

T. K. Cassidy - Children's Librarian /// Guam Public Library
                             Resident Writer, Storyteller &  Author!! :-)
                             tkc@kuentos.guam.net
                             http://www.guam.net/home/tkc/=20

1270 North Marine Drive, Suite 101-424
Tamuning GUAM 96911 U S A

Don't let people drive you crazy when you know it's in walking distance.




To: Angus Saunders <saunders@NORTHNET.ORG>
From: jgroves@mecs.moric.org (Jackie Groves)
Subject: Re: Target: ELEM:  Story stairs.
Status: RO
X-Status:


I have a two step area in the corner of the room. I have had up to grade 6
use the steps. It is a little difficult for the older students, but they
fit. Whenever we have a program in the library, students sit on the steps
and overflow go on the floor or chairs along the back.
Hope this helps. I love the steps I have. The top step is wide enough for
a
rear end and the bottom step is twice as wide (for a rear & feet!)
Jackie

Jackie Groves
Elem. Librarian
Edward R. Andrews Elem. School
Box 990
Morrisville, NY 13408
315-684-9288
jgroves@mecs.moric.org


From: "Bonnie Keyser" <bkey@pclogiconline.com>
To: <saunders@northnet.org>
Subject: story pit

I have a raised story pit in my  LMS.  I'm home now but could measure the
steps for you.  I wouldn't be that concerned about the size of the steps,
I
would worry about other things.
1.  Where is this thing going to be located?
2.  What will it be made of?
3.  How will it be configured?
My story area was constructed out of plywood and covered with carpet.   It
is shaped in an octagon and originally had two open sides which made it
1)noisy under little feet and 2) a constant thoroughfare.  I recently had
one side closed in with shelves which match, more or less, those on the
other six sides. Additionally, those glued edges have begun to unravel.
The center is round and it looks to everybody like a big hot tub,
something
the children love to play in!   I had virtually no imput on the building
of
this entire LMS as the architect was extremely non-interactive ad
non-communicative.I would suggested that this area in your library should
be against a wall in an out-of-the-way corner, maybe in a small
half-circle
and should be constructed in a way which sound-proofs it and covered in a
very sturdy material.  If measurements would help you, please e-mail me at
school:    ebradkw@voicenet.com
Thanks




Bonnie Keyser
East Bradford Elementary School
West Chester, PA 19380




From: "Kathy Lafferty" <klaffert@pen.k12.va.us>
To: "Angus Saunders" <saunders@NORTHNET.ORG>
Subject: Re: Target: ELEM:  Story stairs.
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 1997 20:50:34 -0500


We have story stairs for our K-5 school.  Usually I don't use it with the
3-5, but I have.  I don't know the dimensions of the steps, since I'm at
home and they're at school, but we made the bottom step wider to
accommodate the feet of the kids on the top row and the bottoms of the
kids
on the bottom row.  The kids like it there.  Sure beats sitting on the
floor, which they had to do last year!  Now they have options!
____________________
Kathy Lafferty
klaffert@pen.k12.va.us
Library Media Specialist
Patrick Henry Elementary School
Alexandria, VA



Angus,

I have them in my two libraries.  Several things to keep in mind.
1) They should be poured concrete not wood.  When the childen sit, many
       kick their feet.  Wood makes too much noise.
2) The best shape is a triangle but only 2 sides.  When the reader sits
       in front, the children can all see equally well.
3) The width of each step should be at least the length of 2 adult shoes
       so that a child (a 5th grader) can sit comfortably with the feet
       of another child behind him.

I use the story steps with all of my grades K to 5. It might not be used
 as often with the older children, but at least a half dozen times a
year.

Hope I have been helpful.

Janet M. Diem
Adamstown Elem.
Adamstown, PA 19501
janmdiem@epix.net


To: Angus Saunders <saunders@NORTHNET.ORG>
From: sle@on-ramp.ior.com (Sandy Earnest)
Subject: Re: Target: ELEM:  Story stairs.
Status: RO
X-Status:

Angus,
        My school district's library design has a recessed story stairs
built into every school's library.
        I have K-6 grades and I use the story stairs alot, for story time
and for lessons.
  >
-----
Sandy Earnest - A Subscriber at Internet On-Ramp, Inc.





Hi
     All of my students through grade 6 like to use the
stepped story area.  We did not change the height of the steps
- whatever the standard is.  They like to use the area to
lounge in and I have found that when I am reading to a single
class they like to gather there rather than in the regular
seats in the library.  It may be because they can lounge in the
story pit when it is not being used.
Peggy

--





Peggy Howell (phowell)
Lib.; West Springfield Elementary
Fairfax County, Virginia
phowell@pen.k12.va.us


From: Angus Saunders
saunders@northnet.org