Montgomery youth benefit from Book Buddies | News, Sports, Jobs

The Montgomery Area Public Library has been a successful operation since its founding over 113 years ago. The library offers a variety of programs for all ages. One of these programs is Book Buddies, a special activity group for young children. Originally, the group was designed for children ages 2 through preschool, but during the summer months, school-age children are also allowed to participate. Children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

The Book Buddies program is led by library director Amber Adams and librarian Cynthia Bryan. The two women take turns leading the meetings. The format and activities can vary from week to week. The group sometimes starts with a song or two, with Adams noting that the children enjoy singing along. “The more we come together” And “The tiny little spider.” Stories and crafts are always a central part of each meeting. The craft activity always corresponds to the theme of the book chosen for the week.

When Book Buddies met on July 3, the topic was butterflies. Adams read a book about butterflies and then invited the children to come outside the library and look at an enclosure of caterpillars in their cocoons. She announced that they would be released at a future Book Buddies meeting in Heritage Park behind the library when they had developed into butterflies and were ready to be released into the wild.

After looking at the cocoons, the children made butterflies out of pipe cleaners and coffee filters, which they painted with markers. The children really enjoyed the activity and were happy to show off their creations when they were finished.

When the children finished their crafts, they had a snack and free time to look at books, visit the other children and spend time in the play area on the first floor.

Although the children had fun, they benefited in more ways than they realized. Adams emphasized the importance of storybooks for young children, pointing out how many ways children can benefit from being read to. “When we are children, the world can seem like a very big and scary place. Picture books can show a child parts of the world in small snippets that encourage curiosity and learning. Books are a wonderful escape into the land of imagination. They can see the world through the eyes of the illustrator and author. They can see themselves in many of the stories. Engaging young minds promotes growth and development. A child who is read to develops critical thinking skills, creativity and empathy, bonds with others, and fosters a future love of reading.”

Bryan also enjoys reading to the children when she leads Book Buddies. When asked why, she replied: “It’s just about making the kids happy, seeing their reaction to the books and making them question some things in the books.”

Bryan’s roots at the Montgomery Area Public Library go back a long way. Her great-great grandfather was Joseph Koons, who donated books to the library when it was founded over a century ago. Joseph Koons’ granddaughter was Mildred Crissman, who later became a librarian. Mildred’s daughter, Donna Chrisman, eventually served as librarian as well. Donna was Cynthia’s mother, making her a third-generation librarian. Her aunt, Beverly Crissman, served as a member of the library board. Her love of learning was instilled by her father, who encouraged her to read, as well as her own library visits as a child when her grandmother was a librarian. When asked what she liked most about Book Buddies, she said: “The fact that the library is no longer a quiet place. It is full of fun and activity.”

According to Adams, it is not just the children who benefit from Book Buddies, but also parents and caregivers. “Their parents and carers enjoy the time to socialize and chat…I have watched the families get to know each other during their visits. Their children are able to socialize and make friends in a safe environment and play with dolls, games, puzzles, our play kitchen, dollhouses and toys. Our rabbit Monty is great for teaching children to be kind to animals. They love talking to him and including him in their play. Some children have also drawn pictures of him. They also get to see the library staff doing their jobs. They always ask questions and we are happy to answer them and teach them how the books get on the shelves and how we check out materials for users. They are very curious and love to learn. Library children become library adults. We get to become part of their childhood memories. It is really special.”

Adams said they also plan outdoor activities for children. They enjoy going to Heritage Park and have painted the library’s sidewalk with sidewalk chalk. “We encourage them to go on outdoor adventures and learn about nature. Most of our activities for Book Buddies revolve around the theme of nature,” added Adams.

Book Buddies is fun for children, but also for library staff. Adams commented: “I love seeing children look forward to going to the library. Their excitement is contagious. I love watching them grow and feel proud when they complete a piece of art. They love to tell you about their day and their favorite things. Just knowing that we made their day a little brighter is why we love working at the public library. We love our library families and are lucky to be able to be a part of their children’s development. My wish is that when they grow up, they will visit the library and tell stories about their favorite library memories, and I hope I can be a part of that.”