New permanent StoryWalk® at the East Providence Public Library
The Weaver Library in East Providence is fortunate to have a beautiful lawn that allows for lots of great outdoor programs like the Weaver Library Farmers Market, Story & Play- a year-round Outdoor Storytime- and now a new StoryWalk®! The Weaver Library has had StoryWalks® before on temporary posts, but we wanted to take advantage of the space and make it a permanent program.
Through a Rhode Island Legislative grant, facilitated by RI Senator Valerie Lawson, we received funds for 20 metal StoryWalk® posts and frames from Pannier Graphics.
With the help of Dan Borges, the City of East Providence’s Director of the Department of Public Works, and a great DPW crew, the posts were installed in late August.
We presented our first story, “We Don’t Eat Out Classmates” by Ryan T Higgins, in September, and celebrated with a kick-off party that featured a reading with Youth Services Coordinator Pam Schwieger, a visit from a “real” T. Rex (Outreach Librarian, Michelle Perry), dinosaur snacks, dinosaur party hats, and music!
Since then, we regularly see people enjoying the StoryWalk®; parents and children after school drop off, adults on their daily walk, both during and outside of library hours.
The story will be changed on a monthly basis and accompanied by activity and question prompts to encourage readers to engage even more! October’s story, “Not Very Scary” by Carol Brendler is the perfect companion to our other outdoor October programming, including a Halloween Family Concert and the Annual Pumpkin Stroll.
Come check it out!