Local libraries prepare new adventures for kids in 2025

Jan. 11—After taking a break from story time during the holidays, both St. Joseph library systems want to start 2025 off with new reading adventures for kids.
Lisa Ransom, children’s librarian at the Downtown branch of the St. Joseph Public Library, said she hopes the new year will provide a springboard to an active winter for kids and their families.
“I’m just hoping that we get more people coming to get a library card to read with your children,” Ransom said. “It’s important to make it part of your daily routine if you can incorporate that 15 minutes every single day.”
Ransom added that the library staff works to support parents reading to children and provides story and game activities for kids. She said she has noticed more parents coming to the library and reading to their kids, which she said is an encouraging trend.
Upcoming craft projects are also part of the library experience to start the new year, and Ransom and her staff hope these activities will increase traffic specifically to the Downtown branch for those nearby. Clarissa Blakely, a library assistant, said in the coming months kids will have the opportunity to make a snow globe, a penguin water bottle craft and their own musical instrument.
“This month we will be doing a make-your-own music event,” Blakely said. “Kids will make their own musical instrument, and it will be a fun way for kids to get loud in the library.”
The Rolling Hills Library also has a variety of activities planned to kickstart the new year, according to Sarah Sieg, a children’s librarian.
“We’re looking at coming back strong with story times in January,” she said. “We’re also going to be celebrating ‘Take Your Child to the Library Day’ on Feb. 1.”
Sieg added that in addition to reading times and clubs, scavenger hunts and craft activities are on the agenda to help kids and their families get back into the habit of visiting the library and enjoying all the resources it has to offer. According to Sieg, the resources include the “Beanstack” app, where kids and their families can log reading hours for an upcoming reading challenge in the spring.
The librarians said staff members are available to find the right resources for special needs children and specific academic interests or to provide extra help in courses where kids are struggling.
For more information on activities at the St. Joseph Public Library branches, visit sjpl.lib.mo.us. For Rolling Hills, visit rhcl.org.
Charles Christian anchors the evening news for News-Press NOW and also serves as an ordained minister at United Methodist Churches in Union Star and Helena, Missouri. Charles can be reached at charles.christian@newspressnow.com. Follow him on twitter: @NPNowChristian.
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