MEAD — Young children, many holding an adult’s hand, walked slowly into the room in the town’s new community center. Their apprehension disappeared when they saw librarian Bridget Parker.
“This is our first time in here. We used to meet at the bank, and it was a little cramped,” she said.
The preschool story hour began at 9:15 a.m. in a large meeting room with west- and north-facing windows. Before the children arrived, Parker set out building blocks, small balls and stuffed animals on the floor and coloring materials on tables.
A member of the High Plains Library District staff for six years, Parker is in her second year of hosting the story hour sessions. The program is designed to help children develop preliteracy skills so they’re ready to learn to read and write when they start kindergarten.
“Of course, we also want to provide a fun and positive experience so they develop a fondness for reading,” she said. “I love it when they ask questions or make comments when they relate to what’s happening in a book we’re reading.
“We usually have 15-20 kids with parents or grandparents or guardians. During the summer, we see a lot more older kids. The numbers are a little lean in the summer when parents take their kids out of day care for vacations.”
Seventeen children participated in the Mead session.
The story hour was conducted in conjunction with a visit by the district’s bookmobile.
After a few minutes, Parker asked the children to help her pick up the toys as she sang a helpful song: “Clean up, clean up. Everybody, everywhere. Clean up, clean up. Everybody, do your share.”
It was time to read a book and the children sat in a semicircle around her.
“I try to find a theme for the books,” she said. “Today’s topic is tigers.”
She read a book titled “Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger?”
Librarian Bridget Parker reads a book to a group of children during the preschool story hour at the Mead Community Center. (Ed Otte/For the Greeley Tribune)The 45-minute session included physical activities as well as reading. Parker led the children around tables in a “monster stomp” as music played.
Another activity involved a multi-colored parachute. It was intended to combine motor muscle movement with music “and practice working as a group.
“It’s not always successful with such a mixed-age group, but I thought I’d introduce it this week,” Parker said. “You can really see the differences in developmental stages when you try to get a group of 1- to 5-year-olds to work together on a task such as this.”
The session ended when the children gathered around Parker as she gave each one a sticker.
“The stickers are a fun way to interact with each child at the end and bring the story hour to a close,” she said. “The kids love getting stickers, and it helps to have a routine each week to signal when we are beginning and then when we’re done.”
Nanny Amber Thomas holds Madilyn, 2, during the preschool story hour at the Mead Community Center. (Ed Otte/For the Greeley Tribune)Three blocks away on Main Street, the High Plains Library District bookmobile was parked across from the TBK Bank and ready at 10 a.m. for early patrons. The bookmobile visits Mead on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.
The closest public library is in Longmont, about 10 miles away.
The bookmobile is one of four in the library district’s fleet. The 34-foot Winnebago makes about 26 visits each month to communities across the district’s 4,000-square-mile service area, according to outreach manager Rick Medrano.
A Mercedes Sprinter provides services to assisted living and institutional living facilities, averaging about 24 visits each month. A Ford Transit offers early literacy services and works with the Colorado Early Education Network to provide 28 story hours each month. A PopUp Ford F250 specializes in community and school events.
The bookmobile travels about 850 miles each month, or about 10,500 miles annually, Medrano said.
Grover and New Raymer in northeast Weld County are the farthest bookmobile visits from the library district’s Greeley headquarters. It also visits Erie and Frederick in south Weld.
Librarians Kimberly Clarke and Jake Neill waited in the bookmobile for people to arrive from the Mead Community Center event.
“Kids and families would come here after the story hour ended at the bank,” Neill said. “But they’ll come over here from the new location.”
Librarians Kimberly Clarke, left, and Jake Neill in the High Plains Library District bookmobile during the vehicle’s stop in Mead. (Ed Otte/For the Greeley Tribune)Two minutes later, a young girl walked up the steps into the vehicle with her mother and grandmother.
“We get a good mix of folks,” Neill said, with more activity during warm weather months. “We see fewer in the winter. If it’s really cold, people don’t want to go outside.”
Patrons return books they checked out during the last bookmobile visit or pick up books they requested — which can be done both during the vehicle’s stops or over the phone. Returning patrons are a common sight during the stops.
Clarke helps patrons check out books and any holds they requested.
“Some of our patrons are members of local book clubs and they get books for those,” she said. “We see the most circulation of large print books with senior citizens.”
Grandparents also read large-print books written for younger audiences with their grandchildren.
Frequent requests range from “Minecraft” to two best-selling Wyoming mystery writers.
“Our patrons love C.J. Box and Craig Johnson,” she said. “The Thursday Murder Club series, movie and TV show tie-ins, and local authors are also popular.”
In addition to numerous fiction, nonfiction, young adult and children’s books, the bookmobile offers computer and printing services.
Patrons can also check out a state park pass, which is due back in two weeks, and materials such as telescopes and laptops, which can be picked up at a local branch location.
“We want to provide as many services as we can,” Neill said.
The bookmobile schedule and information about other High Plains Library District outreach services are available at highplains.us.
High Plains Library District bookmobile parked on Main Street in Mead. (Ed Otte/For the Greeley Tribune)Hence then, the article about high plains library district s bookmobile increases access in rural towns was published today ( ) and is available on GreeleyTribune ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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