Story time at the library

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
  • 673d ABW Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  The children's section of the library is normally a quiet atmosphere brimming with books and their imaginary tales of dreams, curiosity and mystery. The silence is broken when storytellers read a special tale to young children, teleporting their minds to a world of imagination.

The storytelling program is one of the many weekly events the Consolidated Library offers to children and parents on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

One teller provides the gift of imagination through her words, telling children of the many different and unique stories the library supplies to its patrons. Tesha Mulkey, 673d Force Support Squadron library technician, didn't get there in one day.

Mulkey began working at the library in 2011 and was offered the position of telling stories to children.

"Storytelling was a duty that was passed around to all the staff here in the library," she said. "I thought it would be a good opportunity."

The new experience with storytelling was nerve wracking at first, she said. Mulkey gained confidence through practice reading to her friends' children.

"I did story time and crafts with them and jumped right in," she said. "I just had to think how to engage children on a level that wasn't serious."

During story time, she engages her audience through her voice and by using visual interpretations for the visual learners.

"I like to interact with my audience by asking the silly questions about the story I'm reading to them," Mulkey said. "You just have to remember they are little people and they like to have fun. I think story time allows your silliness to come out and be comfortable with yourself."

Mulkey said she wouldn't be where she is today without some childhood inspiration.

"My earliest memory of reading was reading Nancy Drew books starting in the 6th grade," she said. "I read every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on. Those books are what really engaged me to read and I haven't stopped reading since."

Out of all the perks to being a storyteller, the Alaska Native said giving children the gift of exploring their imagination is the job's biggest reward.

"I think if you are a reader, it helps to spread the enthusiasm," she said. "Books are a gateway to your imagination. When someone reads a story, maybe the reader pictures the story differently than what the author wrote it to be."

After story time, the children can participate in a craft related to the book Mulkey read to them.

"A lot of the children will do many different things with the craft after the story," Mulkey said. "One day, I had a little girl make her craft by the way she interpreted the story I read to her just by using her imagination."

Alishia Salyer, one regular attendee, said her 5-year-old son Josiah, is most interested in the crafts.

"I really like to color," Josiah said. "That is my favorite part."

Salyer has been bringing her children to the storytelling sessions regularly since they were 2 years old.

"My kids get extremely excited when I tell them its library day," Salyer said. "The program really got them interested and engaged more with reading and the library, even though we were readers too before coming to story time."

The avid reading family heard about story time when they signed up for a library card.

"When my family and I first got here, the library gave us quite a bit of information about all the events they host and provide to the installation community," Salyer said.

At the end of the day, all Mulkey hopes for is children to have opened their minds and imaginations to the world of reading.

"I think story time here at the library will encourage these children to read or ask their parent to read to them," Mulkey said.

For more information about the storytelling program, contact the Consolidated Library at 384-1640.