Jan. 29—The two library systems that serve St. Joseph are preparing for another year of reading and connecting.

The branches of the St. Joseph Public Library system and Rolling Hills Library are once again offering story times for readers from infancy through preschool.

Story times are offered at 10:30 a.m. each Thursday at the Downtown Library, said Lisa Ransom, youth services manager.

“With the storytime, we get a lot of preschool-age children, so we work on pre-reading skills and alphabet recognition,” Ransom said.

She also said the emphasis in early reading includes phonetics, spelling and learning letter sounds.

Sarah Sieg, children’s librarian at Rolling Hills Library, said that the new year provides new opportunities to begin new library habits with young children.

“Making it a habit, like, going to the gym,” Sieg said. “Make it a habit with your child.”

Once the library becomes a habit, Sieg said that as children get older, reading becomes a regular part of their day.

If parents are unsure of the best ways to approach reading for their child, the library has a variety of resources and programs to help parents. Sieg said it is common for a parent to come in and share struggles children are having. When that happens, the staff goes to work to compile resources and appropriate materials for both the parent and the child, she said.

“We’re here to help,” Sieg said. “We know our collection, we can find books, we can use interlibrary loans if needed, we have e-resources also. You can even change the e-resources to a dyslexic font if that’s what your child needs.”

Misty Snider, youth services manager at the St. Joseph Library’s East Hills branch, said it is important to remember that the facilities not only assist children in reading development but also offer special resources in all the subjects students are exploring in school, including science and math. The wide range of programs they offer can both improve learning and increase connections among parents who are facing similar challenges, she said.

Snider also said that some parents interact outside of programmed times at the library, schedule home playdates with other families, and even hang out together at the nearby East Hills Shopping Center.

All three librarians said that parents are finding more time to network and work together while helping their children through the programs offered at the libraries. They are also finding ways to share questions and struggles.

For a calendar of activities for 2024, visit rhcl.org, for Rolling Hills Library. For the branches of St. Joseph Public Library, visit sjpl.lib.mo.us.

Charles Christian anchors the evening news for News-Press NOW and also serves as an ordained minister at United Methodist Churches in Union Star and Helena, Missouri. Charles can be reached at charles.christian@newspressnow.com. Follow him on twitter: @NPNowChristian.