Idaho has a need for library staff who are trained to do storytime. Over the past few years, Idaho youth services staff have been promoted (yay!), retired (congratulations!), or moved on to other opportunities (we miss you and yay!). It’s harder than ever to find experienced storytellers to fill the need or train new staff. In 2019, ICfL provided three in-person storytime trainings around the state. They were very popular, but the need for training has not been met.
For the next several months, we will be working on a series of online training modules to help those new storytime understand fundamental storytime concepts. These trainings will be available on-demand and only require an internet connection.
If you are an experienced storyteller (either currently working in a library or retired), we need your help. We are hoping to gather stories, quotes, book recommendations, and ideas for storytime that would be useful to someone who has little or no experience. We are also hoping to make several short videos to illustrate different storytime concepts (like how to use a puppet or a flannel board). If you are interested in contributing to this project, fill out this short form: https://form.jotform.com/icfl/storytime101
If you have questions about this project (or suggestions!), contact Jennifer Redford: jennifer.redford@libraries.idaho.gov
