William Fogg Public Library

Despite the current state of things and our inability to host groups indoors, we are still offering a variety of Storytimes and crafting services designed to be available to as many families as possible.

Facebook Live Storytime: Every Tuesday at 1:30 we host a 20-30 minute Live Storytime. This Storytime is useful for families that either prefer the structure of a set schedule or the ease of popping in for a little story break. Featuring 1-2 books and a rotating variety of 2-3 activities, movement, and/or songs, this Storytime is designed to be a “light” version of our traditional Storytimes: enough to feel familiar without being too long for children not used to a lot of screen time. These Storytimes are posted to our Facebook after they go Live for families that miss the live airing.

Zoom Storytime: Every Wednesday at 3:30 we host a more private Live Storytime for families that miss the interaction that In-Person Storytime provided. Despite the private feel, this Storytime is still available to everyone who is interested by simply signing up for the link on our website. This interactive Storytime follows a different weekly theme than our other Storytimes: focused on character building, we gently introduce and discuss topics such as kindness and patience through books, songs, and activities.

Pre-Recorded Storytime: Posted every week to our website and Facebook via YouTube, this Storytime takes the Facebook Live Storytime and expands it. Featuring 3-4 books, extra activities, exercises, songs, and an at-home craft, this Storytime generally runs about 45 minutes and is designed to mimic the length and structure of our In-Person Storytimes. Despite being pre-recorded, these Storytimes still feel interactive for the kids at home and the time stamps make it easy to come and go as fits each family’s personal schedule. The editing adds helpful imagery for the kids as we discuss different themes, practice our letters, numbers, and colors, and learn new words. Our extensive archive (available on our website and YouTube) offers hours and hours of entertainment and education.

Outdoor Storytime: Nothing beats meeting up with your friends and other families for Storytime! As long as the weather isn’t horrible or dangerous, we are offering a weekly Outdoor Storytime, even through the winter! Due to the changeable nature of winter weather, the day for Outdoor Storytime changes each week but can always be found on our website or through signing up for our weekly Kent Room email. Bring a blanket or chair to sit on, a snack to munch on, enough layers for the cold, and enjoy stories, songs, and outdoor activities! Even though we are outside, we still take everyone’s safety very seriously and ask that everyone wears a mask when they are not seated in their spot.

Weekly Take-Home Crafts: Every week we put out a craft packet to go along with our weekly Storytime theme! All you’ll need is glue, markers, and your creativity! Families can either pick up crafts in the Kent Room or request them for their curbside pickups.

Kent Room Family Time: We recognize that a big part of the Kent Room is being able to enjoy the space, and all it provides, with your family. Every Saturday between 1 and 5 families can sign up for a 45-minute time slot and reserve the whole Kent Room for themselves! During this time, you can craft, play board games, read together, or simply browse without worry. Before and after every visit we sanitize the space so that every family can feel relaxed during their visit to the library!