How BookTrust Storytime has supported volunteer librarians in Chew Valley
Run by volunteers, Chew Valley Library in the village of Bishop Sutton is one of many community libraries in Bath and North East Somerset.
Volunteer Angela Cruse reveals how BookTrust Storytime has equipped them with what they need to launch interactive sessions for families.
How have you been spreading the word about your BookTrust Storytime sessions?
We put posters up about BookTrust Storytime in the library and in local pre-school and schools. We strike up conversations about the sessions with library users and post about them on our Facebook page. We also promoted the BookTrust Storytime sessions in a local magazine.
What are the benefits of your library taking part in BookTrust Storytime?
As a community library run by volunteers - some of whom also work - having the set of books and ready-made resources has given us support and a structure to launch a story and rhyme-time offering. The Storytime set of books and resources are fantastic and have made it possible for us to get started.
What do families think about BookTrust Storytime events? What do they enjoy?
The BookTrust Storytime sessions offer an opportunity for families to use story books in a different way beyond reading the story. We use paddle boards, objects and rhymes to further explore the stories we're sharing.
Each book from BookTrust Storytime had something different to offer – whether it was memorable language, rhyme, humour, or a story about the importance of friendship – and the picture paddles were very engaging.
The children particularly enjoy the rhymes that tie in with the stories. They love being able to act these out and to play instruments in the library space.
Families are amazed at how engaged their children have been during BookTrust Storytime sessions. They appreciate the chance the sessions give them to explore new books. They are also pleased that BookTrust is interested in their opinions and that they're being asked about what they and their children like about different books.
How did you encourage families to share their opinions about the BookTrust Storytime Books – and what was their feedback about the selection?
We ran six BookTrust Storytime sessions with our local pre-school, with children aged two to four years. After our last session we looked at all the books we'd read together. Each child then voted for their first and second favourite books.
Children placed coloured counters (milk bottle tops) on the books to vote: green for their first choice, white for their second choice.
Most children really took their time to choose their overall favourites. They spoke about why they particularly liked them, saying things like, 'That one was really funny' and, 'The duck was very kind.'
As we're a rural community library, and as the children came from a pre-school in the Chew Valley, which has its very own lake, it makes sense that the children related well to stories about animals and the natural world. The overall favourite was The Duck Who Didn't Like Water – children loved the characters, the emotional connection, the humour and the companionship the book offered, along with the beautiful illustrations.
Three things to take away
- Go beyond reading the story. Incorporate rhymes to encourage children's language development.
- Get together with other libraries to share ideas for sessions.
- Encourage families to share their opinions and feedback about the Storytime books
