Additional ‘story times’ launched

French and Ojibway story times, as well as transportation programs, are just some of the initiatives starting up at the Fort Frances Public Library this fall.
French story time, which runs Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m., is brand new this year thanks to the Ontario Early Years Challenge Fund.
“We’ve already had two sessions and it is going great,” head librarian Margaret Sedgwick said Thursday morning. “We’ve had great attendance and everyone is very pleased.”
Retired French teacher Paulette Devos and teacher Debbie Jean lead the story time en français for children aged two-six. Already they’ve had an average of a dozen youngsters coming out.
“It’s filling a gap. It is the first French story time out of schools,” Sedgwick noted. “There is interest in French Immersion in Fort Frances.”
The French story time is just one of the new programs being run at the library, which also is hosting Ojibway story time every second Monday morning at 10:30.
The next one will be held Oct. 7.
The library also will be having family story time this Saturday afternoon (Oct. 5) at 2 p.m. and evening story time this Monday (Oct. 7) at 6:30.
In other news, the local library last week acquired a van to transport people there. “It’s for anyone, parent or child, who wants to attend library programs who doesn’t have a ride,” Sedgwick said.
The van is equipped with three car seats and one booster seat, and will be driven by Margitta McLeod. Anyone interested in using the service can call the Children’s Department at the library (274-9870).
The library began the transportation program after an Early Years study identified access to children’s programs as a problem in this area.
The vehicle already was used to bring children to story time Wednesday. Sedgwick said it is particularly great for caregivers who may not be able to transport all the children in their care.
“One person used it because they just didn’t have enough car seats,” she noted.
In addition to these new initiatives, Sedgwick wanted to make sure parents were aware of chances to join in on established programs.
There still are openings for children in the Tuesday afternoon story time (3-5 p.m.) as well for the “Tales for Two’s” program Wednesday or Friday mornings at 9:30.