Baby-Lapsit Storytime: Hi there, babies! Are you age 0 - 2? Please bring your grown-ups, for this delightful storytime just for you! We’ll work on literacy tips for your grown-ups, and developmentally-focus fingers-plays, songs, and board books for you! Takes place in our Children’s Room every Wednesday and Friday, from 11 - 12. Hosted by our trained Children's Department librarians or librarian assistants. 

-This program enhances developmental activities for babies through playing, singing, reading, and talking. These practices help babies start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.). Please see the Baby-Lapsit Storytime Template for more information on how this storytime supports child development.

 

Toddler Storytime: Please join us in the Children’s Room every Saturday and Monday from 1:30 - 2:30, as we sing, dance, and play, while we listen to our Children’s Librarian read several wonderful picture books. Perfect for ages 3-6, though all are welcome.

-This program enhances developmental activities for toddlers through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help toddlers start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.). Please see the Toddler Storytime Template for more information on how this storytime supports child development.

 

All-Ages/Family Storytime: Every Saturday and Sunday, from 11 - 12, we offer storytime for the whole family! Please join us as we read several hand-picked selections, followed by an arts and crafts project perfect for any age! Hosted by our trained Children's Department librarians or librarian assistants. 

-This program enhances developmental activities for children through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help children start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.). Please see the All-Ages/Family Storytime Template for more information on how this storytime supports child development.

 

Sensory-sensitive Storytime: Great for those on the Autism spectrum, or for children who thrive in calm and soothing environments. All are welcome. We turn off the fluorescent lights to minimize buzzing, turn on soft-glowing lamps, spread out our tactile-themed rug that includes built in widgets. You are also welcomed to bring your own blankets or comfort items. Our Children’s Librarian will read several soothing and fun titles, focusing on inclusivity. A relaxed and informal structure is used, and participation, feedback, and discussion from participants is thoroughly welcomed. All ages welcomed. Takes places every Sunday from 3 - 4, in Meeting Room One, next to the Children’s Room.

-This program also enhances developmental activities for children through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help children start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.).

 

Therapy-Dog Storytime: Please join us as “Hounds of Hope” and their therapy dogs join us for storytime! These are rescue dogs from shelters across the U.S. who have been professionally trained as therapy dogs for children. Children are encouraged to pet and enjoy the dogs, as we read, sing, and dance. Followed by an opportunity for children to select a book to read to the therapy dogs. Great for reducing stress, and teaching children how to interact with dogs. All ages welcomed. Takes place the 1st Saturday of each month, from  4 - 5pm, in Meeting Room Two. Hosted by our trained Children's Department librarians or librarian assistants. 

-This program enhances developmental activities for children through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help children start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.).

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Drag Queen Story Hour: One of our most popular events! Please join us as the wonderful and magnificent Drag Queens of "Drag Queen Story Hour" read picture books to our families! Joy, inclusivity, gender-fluidity, and acceptance are recurring themes of these much-anticipated programs. All are encouraged to attend! Hosted by "Drag Queen Story Hour" and organized by our Children's Librarian the first Tuesday of every month, from 4:30 - 5:30pm, in Meeting Room One.

-This program enhances developmental activities for children through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help children start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.).

 

StoryWalk on the library grounds: We follow a map of storybook pages placed across the library’s outdoor gardens, pausing to sit, read, and play, at each page. Followed by light refreshments and an arts and crafts project. Takes place from 3 - 4 every Friday in April, May, September, and October, weather permitting. Please call ahead to verify. All ages welcomed. Each child must have the supervision of their grown-up. Hosted by our trained Children's Department librarians or librarian assistants. 

-This program enhances developmental activities for children through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help children start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.).

 

Monthly STEM Program: Are you ready to explore the fun activities and projects that utilize science, technology, engineering, and math? Join us as we build, create, innovate, and learn! Ages 6 and up. Takes place the 1st Tuesday of every month, from 4 - 5pm. Hosted by our trained Children's Department librarians or librarian assistants. 

-This program enhances developmental activities for children through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help children start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.).

 

Guided Makerspace Event: Though our Makerspace is always open for exploration and projects, on the first Thursday of each month, from 4 - 5 pm, we offer a librarian-guided activity for ages 6 and up. Come see our sound-recording equipment, work with the 3D Printer, learn about junk-journaling, or even how to make your own potted-plant planter! The possibilities are endless. 

-This program enhances developmental activities for children through playing, singing, writing, reading, and talking. These practices help children start to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, and background knowledge (Ghoting, n.d.).

 

Early-Literacy Training for Caretakers: Calling all parents, older siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, caretakers, guardians, teachers! All of the grown-ups who care for little ones are welcomed. Please join our Children’s Librarian as they discuss the important of early-literacy for children, age and developmentally specific activities, ways to incorporate reading skills, a love of literature, and critical thinking skills, into your everyday routines, the importance of representation in literature, and many other wonderful topics with you!  Takes place the second Wednesday of every month, from 6:30 - 7:30pm, in Meeting Room Two.

Summer Reading Program: Every May - August, our Children’s Summer Reading Program brings joy and an enthusiasm for reading to our patrons. Instead of focusing on forced or imposed reading, which we feel inhibits the joy that can come from it, we encourage participants to read as much as they want. Prizes will be awarded for 1 book and upwards. No adult signatures needed. We also encourage a wide variety and acceptance of reading materials! Books, graphic novels, magazines, articles, comics, non-fiction, websites, e-books! You name it. This year, our theme will be the “Libraries are For Everyone” campaign, and will focus on the representation of all peoples in the library, be it through picture book characters, fiction, graphic novels, library staff and patrons, decor, or authors, we want everyone to know that library is for everyone. We will hold several large-scale programs on inclusivity in children's literature, ways children can be accepting and welcoming to their peers, ways children who are struggling with feeling accepted can reach out, and a grand finale field day featuring arts and crafts, outdoor activities, refreshments, and a pizza party! All activities and programs are hosted by our trained Children's Department librarians or librarian assistants.