What’s New

Jennifer Lapointe

 We are delighted to announce our volunteer of the month for July 2024- Jennifer Lapointe, a spectacular storytime animator since 2022. Jennifer is such a playful and vibrant volunteer reader. Here is what she has to say about her experience:

“minibiblioPLUS has given so many children the gift of adventure, joy, knowledge, faraway places, understanding emotions, nature, animals, facts, fiction and imagination through storytime reading. It will instill in them the motivation to read to their children and hand it down generation after generation. What a gift!

I have also noticed that children that used to be shy and not interact with responses at storytime have now blossomed and feel so comfortable that they have a place to shine too and there are so many shining kids at once they can make a sunny warm day in the middle of winter.“

Guillaume Nyssens

 Announcing our newest volunteer of the month for June, Guillaume Nyssens. Congratulations and thank you for volunteering with us as a storytime animator. Here is what Guillaume has to say about his experience:

“What if the purpose of life was to serve? With a change of environment, I wanted to get involved locally. It was with this in mind that I answered the call from minibiblioPLUS, to share the love of books with children. I’ve always loved to read, and the idea of sharing this passion with others immediately appealed to me. After training, I joined a wonderful team, dedicated to awakening toddlers to young readers.

At a time when screens are taking on an ever-increasing role, it’s essential to remember that books are still a wonderful way of sharing unique moments. Each session is a bubble of joy and discovery. The impact on children is hard to measure, but some create precious bonds, others take longer. For me, above all, it’s an opportunity to be there for them, to pass on values and dreams through stories. Seeing their eyes shine when they listen to a book is the greatest reward of all. Especially when you’re supported by a great team of people who are so supportive!”

Isabel Shaw

 We are delighted to announce our volunteer of the month for May 2024- Isabel Shaw who has been volunteering in our library. Here is what she has to say about her experience:

“Each time I process a new book, I put myself in a child’s shoes and try to imagine what parts of this story would capture my imagination. Would it be funny? Would a storytime animator be able to show off the pictures? Would a five-year-old recognize this character? Working from the library, I get to see all the books flowing in and out to reach kids in the community. Beyond the fun challenges of cataloguing new books, I am just happy to be involved. This unique library offers so much to children with storytime, both local and virtual, and the free lending programs to partners. One of my favorite parts is seeing the stories and characters I knew as a child going out and coming back with new creases on their pages.”

Announcing our newest volunteer of the month for April, Alexander Slack. Congratulations and thank you for volunteering with us as a storytime animator. Here is what Alex has to say about his experience:

“Volunteering with minibiblioPLUS has been incredibly enriching and fun! I think both the kids and I were a little nervous at the beginning, but now they greet me with bright smiles and excitement over the new books I bring to each storytime. Spreading the love of reading and supporting literacy is deeply important to me, so I am grateful that minibiblioPLUS facilitates this opportunity. Not only that, but the team goes above and beyond in support! It is a joy to be able to contribute a little bit of my time to make a difference, inspire children to engage with books, and make connections within my community.”