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Kerol Harrod and Anita Savage lead Denton Public Library’s first virtual StoryTime.

Faced with a situation of being unable to offer in-person programming, the Denton Public Library opted instead for a virtual storytime for children and their caregivers through their Facebook Live platform.

Even though they knew they wouldn’t be able to reach those without internet access or social media, they still felt this was a great opportunity to expand the storytime to include many more people than were regularly hosted in the library.

Kerol Harrod, the children’s librarian at the Fowler Branch of the Denton Public Library, explained the motivation: “We wanted to continue services to our youngest patrons. And I wanted to do it live because I wanted to foster a sense of community. I think people are looking for some sort of lifeline right now to connect them to each other and the community at large. The storytimes are something that a lot of people attend and look forward to so this was a way to take the libraries straight to their living room.”

The weekly storytimes feature interactive songs, dances, puppets –and of course, a story. And parents and caregivers can find tips for helping kids stay mentally and physically active during this extended period of social distancing.