Category Archives: Director’s Desk

Whenever our baby/toddler story time is underway, I can hear the faint strains of “Shake, Shake, Shake Your Sillies Out” drifting up through the floor of my office. It never fails to make me smile. Once in a while, it sends me downstairs to soak up a little fun in the children’s department among the dozens of families enjoying story time or other programs. It is a happy place.

Babytime/toddler story time is especially fun, with lots of music, movement, and expression. You can just see those little faces light up as they begin to connect the rhythm of language with the magic of story. They begin to associate fun and laughter with stories, books, and libraries. It may not look like early literacy instruction, but these playful sequences and repetitions are the solid (and fun) foundation laid for future learning. As much as I enjoy watching the children, I also love seeing the parents and caregivers participate! I admire all the moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, caregivers and friends who come to sit on little seats and make sure their favorite child has every chance to succeed.

One day while I was downstairs, a woman came in and asked if I worked at the library, and asked if I knew where she could get a recording of the toddler story time songs. It wasn’t too unusual a request, but the rest of the rest of her story certainly was.

It turned out that this patron was a grandma. Her grandson, Rylan, was known to our staff as a bright-eyed, curly-headed, curious little boy who loved story time. But at the age of two and a half, he had nearly drowned several weeks before in a local apartment pond. He had survived, but was still fighting to recover from the traumatic brain injury that resulted, and was still in the hospital. His mother and Grandma noticed that when they sang the story time songs to him, his eyes fastened on theirs. And when they stopped singing, he looked back and forth from one person to another as if to say, “Why did you stop? Keep singing!” Encouraged by the light of recognition in his eyes, his Grandma had stopped by that day to try to bring a copy of the CD played in story time to his bedside. Needless to say, we found the music and made her a CD. She told us that he’d be back in story time just as soon as he was able.

We are excited to share that Rylan is now back at story time with Grandma, and we are all rooting for him as he continues to recover. Katharine, our story time librarian, says that every session he gets better with his responses – last week he was able to nod yes when asked if he wanted bubbles.  Another week when Katherine passed out shakers and scarves, he was able to request a blue one. He was especially happy that first week back in June, and wore a big smile whenever they sang the story time songs.

Of course it is a lot more work for Grandma to bring him than it used to be, as he must be carried from van to chair along with his medical equipment and braces. But I have never seen a more determined family. His wide smile is back and his bright eyes are busy taking in the world under those curls. We are so grateful that story time was and continues to be a part of his development. He is still in need of continued therapy, and it comes at great cost. If you would like to help Rylan, please consider visiting his GoFundMe.

We never know what role our early literacy programs will play in the life of a child. But we do know that is a foundation that stays with them, and leads them to greater things.

Cheryl Dobbs, Director

It’s not every day you meet a hero.

And they don’t always wear capes.

Lori Feller is mom to 16 year old triplets, and of course that makes her a hero right from the start. She joined the Primetime bookclub when her triplets were still babies – seeking out some grown-up conversation one night a month.  Years later, I met her when I joined that bookclub. In 2010, in spite of her busy personal and professional schedule, Lori joined the Friends of the Greenwood Library board and assisted with fundraising. She wanted to give back to the library she loved, and she did.  Then at the end of 2011 when everything seemed to be falling apart for GPL, Lori walked up to me in my first hours as Director, and said, “I’m ready! Put me in!” She was appointed by the Greenwood School Board and has been Trustee President for most of that time. In those first years as a brand new Director she was not only my boss, but also my cheerleader as we put the pieces back together and worked to create a financially sound library for our community. She truly is a community hero.

This year was a tough one. Just over a year ago, Lori walked into my office and let me know that she’d been given a tough diagnosis. Cancer. Of course, superheroes aren’t afraid of anything and she was ready for the fight. But the rest of us were afraid. She fought and we prayed through this year. Incredibly, she didn’t even miss many meetings. We were amazed, again, and again at her strength. I know that she didn’t feel strong, but I hear that heroes sometimes don’t. I know she will say she’s not a hero, but don’t let the lack of a cape fool you. Today Lori is cancer free and back to doing what heroes do. Taking care of her family, supporting and leading her community, and making a difference, every day.

Happy Birthday, Lori. We love you!

Do you remember your first library? I sure do. My elementary school library was in a windowless storage space off of the lunch room. We were allowed to check out one book each week. But as a poor student and poor reader I was intimidated by the room full of books. By Junior High, however, I’d received help with my dyslexia and become a voracious reader (thanks to the intervention of my librarian step-mom). My school was new, with a beautiful library, and I began devouring the collection immediately. My favorite was the Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigator series. Unfortunately, it only took me a little more than a semester to get banned from the library for the rest of Jr. High. According to Ms. Burke, the librarian, I did not know how to behave in a library.  I’m sure she was right.

Most adults see today’s library through the lens of their childhood library. The librarians are remembered as stern and the environment as cold. For many, the damp, musty smell of old books is unforgettable. Maybe this is why people drive by and wonder why on earth our parking lot is full. Or why their mouths drop open when they first visit and find a vibrant, beautiful, engaging library.

When you see your GPL making changes, we are working to make sure that your children remember the place they learned to love reading as an exciting place they loved. We are working to make sure our facility, programs, and resources are what you and your family need to succeed. We hope that when you look back on your relationship with GPL it will have been –

• the place your children learned to love reading
• the place you found your job
• the place you studied and excelled
• the place you were introduced to your favorite author
• the place you could count on a smile
• the place you learned new skills, explored, and dreamed
• the place you met a friend