AROUND 9:30 a.m., the stiff silence of the Coffee County Lannom Memorial Library slowly begins to break. Lots of little feet trample through the glass double doors, then race over to the play area ahead. The first few interruptive sounds are made by one or two young families making their way into the communal oasis. Then, as the clock ticks closer to 10 a.m., every last bit of the peace and quiet of the morning is dissipated, as several more families have gathered together for storytime hosted by youth services librarian Ashley Reid.
Reid’s role at the library is to plan and execute programming for not only young children but teens and adults as well. However, those most familiar with Reid are those who measure less than three feet tall and have disproportionately large energy levels, many of whom attend storytime regularly.
Storytime is the one time of day where the stereotypical serene library atmosphere is instead bursting with excitement and noise. This program is hosted by Reid multiple times a week. It consists of stories, songs, crafts, and more. If you find yourself in the library during the scheduled hour, you’d likely hear sweet little voices belt out things from their favorite songs, books, and chants. Reid shared, “I love when we’re singing, and the kids know the songs or the rhymes, and they’re really getting into it, interacting back with me. It’s my favorite part about storytime. That, and just interacting with the kids and getting them excited about reading.”
Reid disclosed the intention behind the storytime program. She shared, “The goal of storytime is to help children develop skills they wouldn’t normally get from just a one-on-one setting. Here, they will develop social skills while being around everybody and listening to a story read by somebody other than mom or dad.”
She continued, “As I’m reading and holding a book, I’m showing the kids how to use books. They are also learning new vocabulary. Then, the songs we sing slow down our speech a little bit so that children can hear and recognize the proper pronunciation of words a little better. We are also helping children develop fine motor skills when we do crafts. We want to make storytime fun, but we also have a little bit of purpose behind it.”
In addition to the frequent storytime offerings for children, the library staff has worked diligently to provide more dynamic resources and programs for the public. Residents of Coffee County and the surrounding areas have free access to thousands of fiction and nonfiction books, computers, laptops, wi-fi, and online libraries, such as Libby and Hoopla. Another particularly unique resource at Coffee County Lannom Memorial Library is the new Library of Things. Reid shared, “We just started the Library of Things. It is where we have things like folding tables, folding chairs, canopies, a telescope, and different items that people can check out and take home, so they don’t have to purchase them.” Reid expressed her desire to hear feedback from the community on how the library staff can better serve our community. She concluded, “If there’s something anybody wants to see more of, or see something different that I might not have thought of, I am always open to hearing those comments.” GN
