Family Story Time

History of Story Times

Reading aloud to children, offering story times, came with the development of the children's library itself, around the turn of the 20th century.  Anne Carroll Moore at the Pratt Institute Free Library introduced a story hour at the Pratt Institute as early as 1896, and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh started a weekly story hour in 1900 under Francis Jenkins Olcott.  Caroline Burnite, connected with both of these institutions, was appointed Director of Children's Work at the Cleveland Public Library in 1904 and very intentionally encouraged storytelling at the library's various branches, including having "a nursery tale story hour for the very little ones on Saturday morning" at the Broadway branch, which opened in 1906.

This information is laid out in great detail in the 1969 Scarecrow Press publication, Public Library Service to Children: Foundation and Development, by Harriet G. Long.

"History of Preschool Storytimes", American Library Association, December 1, 2014.

http://www.ala.org/tools/history-preschool-storytimes (Accessed August 30, 2018)

Document ID: 9c2ae946-c6b9-7ae4-4d8c-ff3fadbec16e

Our Story Time Today

Family Story Time helps develop early literacy skills through playing, reading, listening, talking, singing, and writing.  Our children's early literacy journey includes play time, singing and dancing to songs, creative crafts that match the theme for the month, and delicious snacks!  Family Story Time is geared towards kids birth to before they enter school (so...about 4 or 5), but all are welcome.  Our Story Time takes place Thursdays at 10:00 A.M..  For changes, updates, and upcoming events, please check out our Facebook, Twitter, or call 931-232-3127.