‘It’s reading time’: Children’s museum opens new lending library

Written by Nick Yamashita
January 15, 2023

ST. GEORGE — Saturday was a celebration as the St. George Children’s Museum opened its new lending library with a full crowd of excited children, parents and grandparents.

Children, parents and grandparents enjoyed the new Story Castle Lending Library in the St. George Children’s Museum, Jan. 14, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

The museum opened at 10 a.m. and cut the ribbon to the new library which was made available with sponsorship from the educational nonprofit Waterford.org based out of northern Utah.

Special guests included Washington City councilman Kurt Ivie and the board chair for the museum, city councilwoman Danielle Larkin who is also on the museum board, museum executive director Sonya Darter, and Waterford.org representatives. The representatives of the nonprofit included CEO Andy Myers, Director of School Relations for Utah Steven Kiisel and Director of Outreach Strategic Partnerships Audrey Blank.

Other special guests included Belle and Ariel from the Ever After Events Princesses, Rufus the Dragon, and Rosy Racoon.

Rufus is the museum mascot while Rosy is the mascot for the Waterford Upstart program.

The new lending library rooms named the Story Castle are decorated in medieval and fantasy themes with a hint of Harry Potter influence. They are now open for all children to pick books, read in and even take books home.

“We are so excited to show you this new room full of books,” Darter said. “Full of places that will take your child all over the world and to kingdoms far beyond.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony had speakers including Larkin, Darter, Myers and was hosted by Ivie.

“So grateful for the opportunity for a place for the kids of the community to learn,” Larkin said. “This is a really big deal and really excited for St. George.”

During the ceremony, the children peeked through the blocked-off ribbon-bearing doorway into the rooms, impatient and trying to sneak in ahead of the opening.

Sonya Darter (L) and Audrey Blank (R) cut the ribbon for the new Story Castle Lending Library in St. George Children’s Museum,St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

Larkin thanked everyone for being there and talked about how the museum came to fruition over 10 years ago and has been a huge blessing to the city and county. Many thanks were given to Waterford for helping provide the library and the opportunity for children to be able to become literate and improve their reading skills.

The Story Castle project started in August and has been fully renovated with wall murals, decorations and children’s furniture to provide an enchanting experience for children to read, for parents to read to their kids and an opportunity for children to take books and bring new books back for donations. The St. George Library has been a constant supporter of the lending library and will continue to help stock the library with more books as well as private donations to keep books on the shelves.

“We are so fortunate to work with Waterford on this project,” Darter said. “They, too, believe and support childhood literacy.”

Waterford.org started in 2009 and provides the Upstart program which helps prepare pre-kindergarten children for school. The program has received multiple awards and has become sponsored by 36 states nationally.

The Upstart program is funded through the state legislature, is online, and any child through age four can participate in the program, Kiisel said.

“It is for everyone,” Kiisel said. “It doesn’t matter on your socioeconomic status.”

Kiisel explained if a child doesn’t have a computer or internet to use, Waterford provides it. Recently, they did a project with the Navajo Nation where they put up solar panels to help provide easier access for children to use the reading software by providing hot spots and internet access to the people of the Navajo Nation. Besides Upstart they also provide other educational programs for reading to younger children.

“This is the 14th year in the state of Utah running our Upstart program,” Myers said. “We are excited to get the word out about that program and help provide a place for children to gather and share their love of reading.”

Once the ribbon was cut by Darter and Blank, the children rushed in and explored the rooms from the dress-up costumes, the knight armor suit, the royal thrones and crowns, the dragon, the puppets and into the library where they found their reading spot and opened their chosen books.

Ever After Event princess Belle and a child enjoyed the new Story Castle Lending Library in St. George Children’s Museum,St. George, Utah, Jan. 14, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

“All the Waterford staff who have worked on this have truly put in their love and passion for childhood literacy,” Blank said. “You get to see that in there.”

After spending time reading with parents, chatting about adventures with the princesses and hugging Rufus and Rosy, the lending library saw a lot of use for its first day in operation.

The museum had multiple events and activities for the day, but the new lending library was the most visited.

“It’s reading time,” Blank said.

Ivie was ecstatic as he gave a tour to St. George News of the whole building, including upcoming exhibits and a new conference and event room on the third floor.

The next grand opening of an exhibit is on Feb. 11 as the Desert Discovery Room will open which introduces kids to the wonders and science of the desert including wildlife, plant life and a display of the starry skies.

The children’s museum is $6.50 per person but also offers discounts to school groups, through library card ownership and others. They are open daily Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and closed on Sundays and Mondays.

They will be open on Martin Luther King Day Monday to celebrate the lending library.

Updated, Feb. 3, 2023, 10:24 a.m.: Date of the grand opening of the Desert Discovery Room was changed as the event was postponed one week.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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