By ERIN MATHEWS

Salina Journal

Salina Public Library Director Joe McKenzie gained a new perspective on library patrons Monday.

Mostly, he saw the tops of their heads.

McKenzie enjoyed a cool morning up on the roof of the library, greeting children and their parents as they came to sign up for the summer reading program and get an early look at the new Imagination Station in the children's area downstairs.

He tossed down color-changing pencils ---carefully instructing children to collect them off the ground and not try to catch them.

"One guy said, 'How many kids' eyes have you put out with those pencils?'" he said.

McKenzie agreed to spend a day on the roof as an incentive to encourage staff participation in a program to collect e-mail addresses from library users. In the past, staff incentives have involved food, McKenzie said, but sending the boss to the roof proved to be a popular plan.

It took only one week to add the targeted number of email addresses to the library data base, McKenzie said. Staff had anticipated needing eight weeks to meet the goal.

The first day of the library's busiest week of the year seemed like a good one to spend up on the roof, McKenzie said. As children came to check out their first summer reading books, they squinted up and asked their parents how that man got up there.

McKenzie said encouraging school-aged children to read during the summer is an important part of what the library does.

"If kids don't read during the summer, studies have shown they can lose all or most of the gains they've made at school," he said.

For young readers, perhaps an even bigger draw than the man on the roof was a first visit to the library's newly opened Imagination Station, which features interactive games and toys that encourage readiness for reading. An official grand opening ceremony will be held later this month, but most of the new features are in place ---except for the fish.

"It's fun," McKenzie said. "Hopefully, parents can find the time to bring their kids in and spend time with them."

There were perks to spending the day on the roof. When McKenzie got dressed for work, he put on shorts, a ball cap and plenty of sun screen.

"We have a dress code, and this isn't it," he said. "I get a chance to spend the day outdoors. I don't usually do that."

He came prepared with a cooler full of drinks and snacks and some reading to catch up on during down times.He sat in a chair with an awning purchased especially for the occasion and worked on the library budget when the firefighters across the street weren't doing anything interesting to watch.

An unexpected source of entertainment came from watching people try to parallel park.

"At least he's not in the softball-sized hail they had in Manhattan this morning," said Salinan Kim Warren, looking up at McKenzie as she brought her children to sign up for the summer reading program.

As the cloud cover increased throughout the afternoon, McKenzie said his staff wasn't keeping him posted on the weather.

"They think I can look up," he said.

nReporter Erin Mathews can be reached at 822-1415 or by e-mail at emathews@salina.com