Sheryl Hubbard Makes The Library Loud – And Fun

Twice a week, Sheryl Hubbard spreads yoga mats across the lawn outside Butte County Library in Chico, CA and leads between 40 and 70 parents and children through a motion-packed story time, including singing, dancing, finger play and puppets.

Story times to jumpstart literacy and social skills

Over the last 15 years, Sheryl’s story times have jumpstarted preschoolers’ literacy and social skills, facilitated parents connecting with other parents, and modeled how parents can read aloud to their children. “I tell families that we’re all practicing,” Sheryl says. “Especially with the pandemic, some of the kids haven’t been in a group setting at all for two or three years. Some were born during the pandemic and have not been to any kind of group setting. So we’re all practicing our skills; we’re all learning.”

Some parents, for example, may be surprised to learn “there are lots of different ways to read books,” but watching Sheryl reveals, “You don’t have to go line by line. You can skip pages, you can stand up, you can dance it out!”

Creating a comfortable learning environment

Sheryl’s goal is to create a comfortable learning environment. In her experience, “Kids are listening to everything, whether they’re in full motion or sitting in their parents’ laps.” As a case in point, a parent recently told Sheryl, “My son runs around the whole time, and I thought he wasn’t listening or paying attention. But when we’re in the car, he’s singing all the songs from story time.”

Sheryl’s approach makes the library fun for kids

Sheryl’s approach defies the old stereotype of making libraries hushed, somber spaces. In fact, says Joe Rodgers, “Sheryl is a big proponent of making the library loud.” Joe worked with Sheryl for over five years. Her training equipped him for his current position as a youth services librarian at Salinas Public Library. “She wants the library to be fun for the kids,” Joe says. Sometimes this means “turning up the music full blast” – indoors as well as outdoors – “because this is going to make them excited and make it fun.”

In addition to using her own skills to engage children in literacy, Sheryl loves recruiting outside talent, such as the local Christmas cover band The Yule Logs. Joe describes clearing away displays and revving up a snow machine for Yule Logs holiday rock-and-roll concerts in the library.

Making the library a place people want to come back to

During warmer months, Sheryl has partnered with Two By Two Ranch and Petting Zoo to bring goats and chickens to story time. Four times a year, Sheryl organizes a family resource event. Special children’s stations for music, dance, art, dress-up and puppets line up alongside informational tables with representatives of local services such as public health, dental health, nutrition, poison control, safety and car seat safety. Joe adds that her efforts make the library “a place people want to come back to.”

Sheryl’s warm personality also draws families back to the library. “Any family can come ask her a question and she will give them the same full attention, the same energy,” Joe says. He also notes Sheryl’s practice of addressing children directly, asking them questions about their interests and hobbies to help discover books that will capture their attention at their reading levels. “She really makes the children feel they are special. I like that a lot, and I do that at the library to this day,” Joe says.

When she’s not at the library, Sheryl enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband Lenny; their children Lona, 12; Baker, 9; and their two dogs. When the family runs errands around town, Lenny jokingly calls Sheryl a rockstar because, as Sheryl says with a laugh, “I really can’t go anywhere without someone recognizing me.” Sheryl loves being part of such a close community: “I’ve seen children come here as toddlers, become teen volunteers at the library, and now they are college-age adult volunteers. It’s been amazing to see them still love the library.”

Want to make a difference? Read to children

To anyone looking for a way to make a difference in their community, Sheryl has a surefire method for positive impact: “Read to children!” Her current recommendations include Peak by Roland Smith for junior high kids and Lucy Cousins’ charmingly illustrated books for early readers.

From reading road warnings to memes online, today’s society relies so heavily on literacy that opening the world of reading opens the world at large. Week in and week out Sheryl opens the world to North State children – one page at a time.