6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 5-11, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 831 It’s 11am on a Tuesday and the Monterey County Free Libraries’ Seaside branch is about to open. A few people are waiting outside the building this mild winter morning. One of them is a young mother with three children—two toddlers, a boy and a girl, and a baby in a big cart-like stroller. This energetic quartet is here to join the story time about to start in the spacious room just past the entrance of the library. There sits librarian and children’s author Carol Diggory Shields with a stack of books on the table next to her. She is wearing colorful clothes and a big smile directed at the story time crowd that is now gathering and settling down on the prepared chairs in front of her, on their caregivers’ laps or on the floor. Soon, there will be even more movement and stir because singing and hand clapping and making noises on behalf of all inhabitants of the animal farm is about to begin. The group is diverse and the issues are universal, for example: What sound does a piglet make? There is a girl holding onto the hand of her grandmother, as if this grip is the only thing stopping her from floating into the air from the excitement that shines in her eyes. There is another adult with a boy about 6 years old; they are quiet and follow all the story time instructions. “Does anybody have a finger?” Diggory Shields asked between the books and after wrist exercises. “Then put them in the air!” As many readers know from their own experiences, story time, the staple of most libraries’ weekly programming, is much more than reading a book aloud. It’s also not just about listening to a book—it’s an exercise in early literacy, enunciation of words, social awareness, body awareness and more. According to librarian Alison Day, who is responsible for outreach and youth services at Monterey County Free Libraries—that includes conducting story time training for staff across the system—a story time requires two to three books, but there are other elements built in, such as opening and closing songs, finger play and exercises in modeling behavior. Interactive activities are at the core of the event, from books that are engaging on the physical level (with things like pop-up elements and sounds) to collectively crawling on a soft mat with images of dinosaurs in front of Diggory Shields. Story time at libraries is directed at babies and toddlers; the oldest group is preschoolers. Day lists four types of story time at MCFL: baby, family, toddler and preschool story times. They take place almost daily in Monterey County; more than 10 out of 16 branches in the MCFL have them. The events are typically 25-40 minutes long, depending on the atmosphere and the level of audience engagement. “Flexibility is crucial” is Day’s advice to those who run story times. “You have to have confidence, be a bit of a performer,” she says. “Not only children, adults have to buy into it too.” The same logic applies for the reader/performer as well. “Reading a book that I truly enjoy is non-negotiable for me,” says Library Assistant Stephanie Monteagudo, who has been facilitating story time every other week for two years now in King City. “I know that if I read a book that I am not enjoying, that it will translate over to the families attending.” Monteagudo’s favorite book to read for story time is The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone. “It reminds me of when I used to read it to my little brother so I do have an emotional attachment to it,” she says, “but it is also downright hilarious and I just really love reading it out loud.” Library Assistant Jacob Halstead is new to story time programming and describes elements that are as much about stage presence as youth literature. “Projecting voice, showing the storybook in a way that the entire audience can see it, integrating props such as puppets or felt story boards, changing tone and cadence or even their whole voice to fit the story,” he says, describing how to do the job. “Right now, my favorite story time book is The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld,” Halstead adds. “My favorite activity uses story time scarves called ‘popcorn kernels.’ Participants ball up their scarves and when we say ‘pop’ in the song, they throw the scarves up in the air.” After story time, librarians encourage families to “stay and play,” inviting them to be at home in these public spaces. Page Turner Story time at the library is not just about reading out loud—it’s a performing art. By Agata Popęda “It is downright hilarious and I love reading it out loud.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Carol Diggory Shields keeps the audience engaged as she reads during a story time gathering at the Seaside branch of Monterey County Free Libraries. Elevate Your Business with MPCC Take your business further with meaningful connections, advocacy, and resources designed to help you grow. From high-impact networking and Chamber events to education, promotion, and a strong voice on issues that matter, MPCC is here to support your success all year long. If you're looking for a platform to initiate important conversations and grow your business, we invite you to be part of our award-winning business community. Join Today! • montereychamber.com • info@montereychamber.com • 831.648.5350 JOIN TODAY!
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