Families gather in Nolen Library during the #MetKids Launch Party. Photograph by Filip Wolak
«What better way to celebrate the launch of the new #MetKids digital feature—made for, with, and by kids—than with a launch party?! On Sunday, September 20, more than 650 kids and adults participated in a range of fun activities that happened across the Museum such as screenings of kid-created films, Q&As with curators, a photo booth, and much more. Nolen Library was in on the action and once again became a "loud library," hosting a variety of activities all about books.»
Yukari discusses what goes into the making of a book. Photograph by the author
Watson Library Book Conservation staff Jenny Davis and Yukari Hayashida were Nolen Library's resident experts for the #MetKids Q&A. Using examples from Watson's collections, young investigators were invited to gently touch, explore, and look closely while considering questions such as: What are books made of? Based on what you see, how did these books get damaged? How might we fix books? What can we do to protect our favorite books?
Kids feel different paper textures and surfaces. Photograph by the author
They showed examples of books which had suffered damage from water, light, mold, and the real crowd pleaser—bugs! After using a digital microscope to view the interesting patterns created by a hungry insect, everyone was both delighted and appalled to catch a magnified glimpse of the (thankfully deceased) creepy, crawly culprit.
Kids create their own bookplates in Nolen Library's Teacher Resource Room. Hand lettering on window by Natasha Mileshina. Photograph by Filip Wolak
The fun continued in Nolen Library's Teacher Resource Room for #MetKids: Create, where kids studied different examples of bookplates, or ex libris (Latin for "from the books of"), from the collections of Watson Library and the Museum. Since bookplate designs often include the owner's name as well as symbols that tell us about the owner's personality and interests, the kids were asked: What would your bookplate tell others about you? What symbols would you choose to represent yourself?
Kids and parents take part in the fun. Photograph by Filip Wolak
A young visitor experiments with ink stamps on a bookplate. Photograph by Filip Wolak
Using special paper, stencils, stamps, and colored pencils, young visitors created their own bookplates to personalize their favorite book at home. It was evident by the enthusiastic stamping that these kids understood just how satisfying using a good stamp can be.
Librarian Leah High reads Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't) to the audience at Storytime in Nolen Library. Photograph by Filip Wolak
In the Children's Reading Room, Storytime in Nolen Library was a popular stopover for families taking part in the festivities. In keeping with the day's theme, we read from a selection of books about books.
Some #MetKids crowd by computers to check out the new #MetKids digital feature. Photograph by Filip Wolak
Kids explored the new #MetKids digital feature on the computers in Nolen Library, a.k.a. the #MetKids Lounge.
Senior Manager of Digital Learning Masha Turchinsky loves books, balloons, and #MetKids! Photograph by the author
PS: If you've ever been told You Can't Take a Balloon into The Metropolitan Museum, it seems exceptions, on occasion, can be made.
Related Links
#MetKids Blog: "#MetKids Know How to Party!" (September 30, 2015)
In Circulation: "Introducing Nolen Library" (December 10, 2014)