‘For the little people’

Tuesday, September 12, 2017
The Putnam County Public Library’s Youth Services department -- represented by Manager Krista Mullinnix (middle), Taylor O’Brien (left) and Destinee Shipp -- offers a well-rounded host of programs from little people of all ages. “I believe in little things, and every day in our department is full of them and that’s what really brings joy to my heart and the rest of us in the youth services department,” Mullinnix said.
Banner Graphic/CHELSEA MODGLIN

The Putnam County Public Library is perhaps best known for its Youth Services department.

Parents, mothers in particular, from miles around know that the best way to keep kids occupied is to take them to the Imagination Portal and the ever-capable Manager Krista Mullinnix, with her trusty assistants Taylor O’Brien and Destinee Shipp.

Youth Services offers something for little people of every age. Tuesday’s “Baby & Me” program allows parents to sing, read and play with their babies, while the “Hour of Code” teaches ages 6-12 computer science basics.

Being librarians, the trio are set on making the most of every educational opportunity, but also being kids at heart, its always in good fun.

“I think that not only do we promote kindergarten readiness for the younger groups, but we give kids a place to feel safe, to have fun, to explore and to cultivate social skills, to learn new skills,” Manager Mullinnix said. “We have a very standardized, intelligent process for collecting materials, so we have quality materials for children to come in, explore and to learn something new every day. I do think that we are so vitally important (to the community). Our big mission is to cultivate a love for learning and reading.”

Mullinnix keeps her department stocked with a well-rounded range of programs. For art, go to “Masterpiece of the Month;” music, “Music Makers;” cooking, “Cooking with Kids;” science, “Hour of Code” and “STEAM;” building, “Brick Club;” and for just plain reading, “Pup Talks” and two book clubs.

“I believe in little things, and every day in our department is full of them and that’s what really brings joy to my heart and the rest of us in the youth services department,” Mullinnix said. “The proud face of a toddler who knows all of the words and movements to a song; the preschoolers playing librarian and hosting their own storytime; the kid that comes back every week to get a new stack of nonfiction books on a new subject he wants to know more about; or the tweens and teens who want to show off what they’ve worked so hard to build in Minecraft.

“I could go on, but every day in our department is full of little moments of discovery, imagination and creation that really makes my job so rewarding.”

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