Library story time: It's more than just a story

WORLAND - Washakie County Library story time every Tuesday and Wednesday goes beyond just reading a story to young residents of the Worland area.

New story time coordinator and library assistant Teresa West said, "I want to make it educational, I want to make it fun and I want the kids to love books."

West, who moved to the area from Maine where she was a special education instructor for 24 years, began working with story time last year as a substitute. She began in August as the full-time coordinator.

Each week has a specific theme that the craft time and story time focuses on. This week was turkeys and next week will be Thanksgiving, following by wild animals and then Christmas themes for December.

"We started with a safari and the kids make binoculars and looked for animals in the room," West said.

Occasionally story time has special guests like the Worland Volunteer Fire Department during Fire Prevention Week when the firefighters spoke to the children about fire safety, let them try on gear and get a tour of the fire truck.

Most recently, West invited two veterans for the Veterans Day themed story times. West said she contact the Wyoming Army National Guard for assistance in finding a guardsman to come and speak to the children. Wyoming National Guard Sgt. Matt Iffert of Sheridan was the Tuesday special guest on Nov. 5 and Wednesday, Nov. 6, local Navy Chief Petty Officer Morgan Martinez, who happens to live across the street, was the special guest.

"Morgan lives across the street from the library and his wife and children are frequent library patrons so we drafted him to come," West joked.

Story time is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning at 10:30 a.m. and lasts 30 to 45 minutes. West said Tuesdays are geared more for younger kids birth to about 2 and Wednesdays are 2-5 years old, but children birth to 5 are welcome either day.

"There's always something to do. There is always a craft for them to do," West said. On Veterans Day they made patriotic wreaths with stars, a bow and a paper plate. This week, she said, they were making turkeys out of paper plates and toilet paper rolls.

They were also adding feathers to a turkey thankful for his story time friends. Each feather will have a name from one of the children who attends story time, she said.

As for the books she reads, West said the schedule for the year has been set so she knows ahead of time what the theme is. She said she can research the theme in the card catalog or use her years of education and love of books to find books from her favorite authors that fit the theme.

West encourages parents to come and share their information about story time with friends.

She said parents and children seem to really enjoy it.

"It's free, it's a good social thing for kids, it's educational, they are learning how to socialize, learning about books and learning a hands-on activity," West said. "I just love doing it. I love to see their faces light up when I tell them that it's story time."

West is also excited about the future of story time and the expanded space they will have when they get moved to Big Horn Avenue with the county recently purchasing the Kennedy Ace Building.

She said people are welcome to come and view the conceptual drawings and leave suggestions for the new library.