03/27/05 — Memorial gift provides for storytime

View Archive

Memorial gift provides for storytime

By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on March 27, 2005 2:02 AM

Beyond the typical tomes and quiet zones of a college library, a group of Wayne Community College students were shaking their bodies, trying to rid themselves of the "bugs in their britches" and laughing uproariously.

Librarian Silvia Judd was leading the college's youngest students in a "fingerplay" to work out their wiggles so they could sit and listen for a while.

Ten 2- to 4-year-olds had journeyed across campus from the college's child care center for their first storytime in the library. They'll be able to do it again the last Wednesday of every month, thanks to a $5,000 donation by Wayne Community College trustee Bea Lamb that funded the program of hour-long sessions with Mrs. Judd and fellow librarian Donna Potter.

Mrs. Lamb set up an endowment in memory of her grandson, Landon Raynor, with the Foundation of Wayne Community College to allow the library to reach out to the children.

"What better than education?" she said of her choice to fund the storytelling project. The purpose is to instill in the little ones the enjoyment of books "so they will keep reading."

Mrs. Lamb's gift was no surprise to child care center director Delaine Tucker, who said the trustee also has provided a large bird feeder and other enhancements to the center.

"She's very dedicated," Mrs. Tucker said. "She's a big part of our community."

During the children's visits, the librarians will read stories, sing songs and teach fingerplays. The fund has allowed the library to purchase a rocking chair, a special sitting rug for the children, hand puppets and trees to hold them, a puppet theater, small musical instruments and a drum set, and age-appropriate books, with plenty left to expand the collection.

At the project's kickoff on Wednesday, Mrs. Lamb sat with college administrators, laughing at the stories and the children's reactions to them, and participating in the activities with the 10 children.

"It is so wonderful," she said, adding that she would try to return for future storytimes. "This is a memorial to Landon. I saw him in every one of them."