LAKEPORT>> Lakeport Library’s Storytime in Library Park returned for the second month of the summer, held at Library Park on Friday, July 11. The event started that morning with Nikki Carte as organizer, Stella Winckler as reader, and Sharon Fox aiding as a support performer. The event is sponsored by the Lakeport Library and supported by Friends of the Library. The event itself provided a family-friendly environment for children as young as 2 months old to bond with their parents and family over the readings.
How the event functions is simple. The children and their parents gather in Library Park, sitting on a quilt before the reader, who proceeds to read a storybook mainly for the kids. Assisting the reader is someone providing puppets while the event’s organizer is off to the side. Usually a theme is chosen, with this week’s theme focusing on dogs while previous themes had explored ducks and even a musical. The theme is emphasized through which book is picked and what puppet will be used.
Nikki Carte said Storytime in the Park was started by Barbara Green. Originally, Storytime previously only ran at the Lakeport Library but she had attendees relocate to Library Park during the summer due to crowd sizes. Although there were 35 attendees of the event (two families being new), two weeks ago it was quite larger.
“The week before [the Fourth of July], the last Friday in June, I had 73 people attend and I really wouldn’t be able to get all of those people in my physical branch of the library,” Carte remarked in front of Clear Lake. “June 28, everybody came out.”
Still, Storytime in the Park has been a popular program with great importance. Carte cited how important reading in the summertime is, considering children can experience a decline in literacy during the summer. She said it is important to read out loud to them and actively engage them in activities to keep comprehension skills up.
Beyond the importance of literacy, the event also provided further virtues and developments. Of note, community awareness, growing social empathy for children, and providing a connection between parents, families, and their children. Carte, in addition to both Stella Winckler and Sharon Fox, warmly expressed such views.
“Socialization is so important. (…) We had one little boy that was so frightened when he first came in here. After six months he was racing to get to Storytime, grabbing his grandma and pulling her into the room. And he really used to hide.” Fox shared with a smile on her face and a puppet on her hand. “It really is wonderful to see the changes.”
“The hope is of course they can learn to be together and realize we’re all on this planet together, and emphasize with each other. Excel academically, but not just academically.” Winckler expressed with years of wisdom. “They need to know how to be with each other.”
“It’s something that’s life long,” Carte shared with optimism. “Your kids are always gonna remember that you took them to Storytime and you’ll always gonna remember the feelings that you had and associate that positively with reading. That can only benefit us going forward in the future.”
