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Some of the more rewarding duties I perform outside of YA services are within the Children's Library. When our Children's Librarian is out (which is inevitable as we are open many more hours than the average person could or should work), we usually have someone go down to attend the lower library, keeping an eye on things and helping when we are needed.
On the surface, this may seem like just another portion of the library. We need to shelves books, perform Reader's Advisory, and perhaps tidy a little more than usual, but the Children's Library contains many more surprises!
What makes this experience different are the impromptu playtimes and storytimes that come from being around active, curious (and sometimes downright adorable) young children. When down in the Children's Library, even counting occurrences in the past month, I have watched several puppet shows, read a small pile of books, and even taken part in capturing the "bad guys" who were attempting to rob the Town Bank on our Activity Rug. These little interactions can be priceless to both you and the young patrons and they do not take that much time. It is certainly worth it!
Impromptu storytimes are actually one of my favorite things to do in the Children's Library. Maybe they are just learning to read or maybe they just want the company and support of someone while they attempt a new story, but it is wonderful to see kids take an interest in one of our library's main physical assets: books!
This Saturday I read several books to two different children, one in the late morning and one in the early afternoon. It all started with them coming up to me and saying, "Can you read this with/to me?" I would love to!*
Thanks to the education side of my degree and the observation of other Children's Librarians, I have experience with storytime on multiple levels and am always happy to put it to use. As I read this past weekend for instance, I asked all sorts of questions to get them to interact with the book and, for one counting story, had them help me count all the marshmallow peeps as Max and Ruby searched the house for their Easter treats. I always try to mention our official storytimes to the parents/guardians so they have a chance to return and enjoy playtime within a group.
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While you reading one book to a toddler or helping another with a puzzle may not be the highlight of their childhood (and perhaps even forgotten by the next week), it adds to the positive atmosphere of the library. Later on they may remember the general feeling of awe they had when they entered the library and how fun the librarians were. I would love to be part of the greater effort that leads them to return to the library time and time again, perhaps even with their own children one day, and all it takes is a bit of imagination and willingness to play.
*Please note that this is a story from a small library during non-peak hours. Not every staff or library has the time or resources to do something like this but making young visitors feel special, even with a minute of your time, makes them love the library even more.
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