Since August, the Illinois Valley library has resumed its weekly storytime and craft event for kids every Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon. Children of all ages are invited to participate in an hour of themed crafts and a story, and those who can’t stay for very long are more than welcome to take home a pre-made ‘craft kit’ so that they can still partake in some of the fun.
The hour is hosted by longtime resident Deborah Clipp, who has been a patron of the library since she was around 2 years old. Clipp describes her position as a ‘creative director’ of sorts as “the best job you can have in the library,” and her fondness for this job truly shows in how patient and welcoming she is toward the children at her craft table in the children’s section. This week’s project was creating fall-themed ‘acorn buddies’ out of construction paper, pipe cleaner, and a variety of other colorful supplies. The turnout was small but enthusiastic.
Blake and Kaden Winslow sat with their grandmother Callie, excitedly gluing bits of paper together, drawing and laughing, with Clipp guiding them through how to create their unique acorn characters. Even if participants don’t choose to follow the templates set before them, they are more than welcome to create other unique art pieces, something that was made apparent as one of the boys opted to transform his character into a hat.
While regular reading events have been a library staple for many years, the crafting part of the equation is a newer development. Roberta Lee, who has been the library’s branch manager for approximately 10 years, describes the hour as a “melding of the annual summer reading program and a general children’s crafting program,” an idea that sprang to mind in 2018 when she realized that smaller children, especially, aren’t great at sitting still when stories are being read to them.
The inclusion of crafting allows kids to get creative, have fun, and socialize with one another. “This is their space,” Lee explained, gesturing towards the many creations from previous weeks lining the tops of bookshelves.
With the library renovation project set to begin sometime next year, Lee and Clipp are both excited for the future of this event and intend to keep it going for as long as they possibly can.
If you are new to the area, the library is located at 209 W. Palmer St. in Cave Junction and business hours are Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The oldest business in the Illinois Valley. Independently published since 1937.