Preschool students sat captivated while listening to the story “Runaway Pumpkins” by Teresa Bateman, read during a special storytime in partnership with the Anoka County Library. The Fridley Preschool welcomed Barb Woodside, the children’s librarian from the Mississippi Street Branch of the Anoka County Library on Tuesday, Oct. 22 for a special fall themed storytime.
The partnership between the Fridley Preschool and the Anoka County Library has been strong for many years. “The Fridley Preschool partners with the Mississippi Street branch of the Anoka County Library every year to provide ‘Story time with the Librarian,’ explained Karin Beckstrand, PYP Preschool and Targeted Services Coordinator. “This experience allows our young learners the opportunity to meet and interact with our community helpers, promotes literacy skills, and also provides another resource for our families.”
Former manager of the Mississippi Street Branch, Shannon Melham, recounted the strong partnership that the library has had with Fridley Community Education as a whole.
“I know how awesome partnerships can be for all partner organizations when everyone contributes and includes one another,” Melham observed. “The successes the Mississippi library had while I worked there came as a result of strong and meaningful partnerships. Fridley Public Schools and Community Education are champions for the Anoka County Library and the students and families they serve.
In addition to librarians visiting the preschool classes to do storytimes, the library attends family literacy nights, parent education nights, preschool registration events, and more. Teachers also bring their classes to the library for visits in the spring as well. In a broader sense, the library partners with the Early Childhood and Family education program and the adult/senior program throughout the year too.
“My students really enjoyed the stories and fingerplays.” reflected preschool teacher Jaime Finch of their classroom storytime. “We made a connection as we found a copy of the book ‘Pumpkin Eye’ that the librarian read to us on our bookshelf in our classroom! Many students began getting excited about pumpkins and Halloween afterwards.”