From Denise Bowen, MLS

USD 353 Elementary Librarian

As the librarian for Wellington’s four elementary schools, my sincere desire is to cultivate a library experience that stimulates creativity in learning for all of our students. While developing their library skills is important and certainly emphasized, everything we do should encourage our students to incorporate an almost playful nature into their intellectual investigations because children learn best when they enjoy the experience. We play with ideas and interpretations of what we are reading and look at diverse concepts through the varied perspectives of the characters and cultures we read about. We raise questions, make predictions, and disagree with what we read and expand each child’s awareness in the process.

My favorite quote today is one I recently read by Graham Greene:

“There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.”

It is my hope that the door that opens for your child may literally be the library door. Figuratively, the door might be one of our students’ construction fashioned by their own creativity and within the playground of their minds.

Students voted on their favorite William Allen White book and the winner was:

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs.

From Taryn Nichols

Washington Elementary Library Clerk

My favorite quote is: “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, or duty. It should be offered as a gift.” By Kate DiCamillo

Another favorite quote I might add is: “Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” By Harriet Beecher Stowe

Hobbies: I love to READ, READ, READ, and sew and spend time with my children and grandchildren.