A new face has joined the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre (FFPLTC) helping to fill a void and bring new programming and fun for younger library patrons.
Alina Eldridge has joined the FFPLTC to take responsibility for the children’s section and activities oriented towards young people at the library. The position had been vacant since the May resignation of Samantha Manty.
Eldridge is a Fort Frances local and has worked with kids for several years in different capacities.
“I was born and raised here, and I love this town and this community,” she said.
“I’ve worked with children most of my life, I started babysitting at a pretty young age and I have experience with schools and daycares.”
Eldridge says it was her love of working with kids that made her want to apply for the job at the FFPLTC.
“At a really young age I started working with children, I loved it so much, it’s like a special interest of mine,” she said.
“I think the Library is a special place for children and they really need to have someone here providing events for kids and I’m really excited to do that.”
Other library staff have stepped up to provide children’s and youth programming in the absence of a dedicated coordinator but FFPLTC CEO Nadine Cousineau says it’s important to have a person in the department.
“Having somebody in the children’s department, having a dedicated staff person over there to help people when they’re looking for books or they’re wondering what programming is coming up. We really love having Alina over there and having a friendly face community to see,” she said.
One of the programs that fell victim to a staffing crunch during the interim was Baby Time. That program resumes tomorrow, Oct. 16 at 10:30 a.m.
Cousineau says Eldridge was brought on because of her excitement for the role.
“Alina was hired because she was really enthusiastic about the position and library programming,” she said.
“She’s jumped right into it, and she’s just a great fit and the community is really loving her, as are the staff.”
Eldridge says the programming has been one of the aspects of the role she has enjoyed most to this point.
“My favourite part so far is just getting into the little details of the job,” she said.
“I love being able to provide events that people are excited for and seeing an increase in numbers of kids coming and being involved and being excited, and I love reaching out to the community and meeting new people and being able to develop relationships with people around town.”
Eldridge says she’s excited to get to know the collection more as she spends a good chunk of time also shelving books in her department.
“Shelving really helps you figure out what’s happening here,” she said.
She’s also learning the system as she develops programming for local schools to learn how the library’s cataloguing system works.
“I’m excited to be able to help kids learn how to find books in a library, and to make it efficient for them so it’s not overwhelming for children to come in here and find something they like, because there’s a lot to a lot to pick through,” she said.
When it comes to programming, Eldridge said she’s enjoyed hosting STEM Saturdays and is looking forward to creating new programs and growing the existing ones.
“I have been really loving STEM Saturdays,” she said.
“STEM Saturdays are a big hit, and I love being able to watch kids enjoy the programs that I’m implementing. That being said, I think that I also really love the less popular programs, and I’m hoping to be able to see a pickup in those with my planning and my marketing. I do have some exciting things planned, like, as to extra programming that I’m hoping to be able to start soon.”
Library patrons can find Alina Eldridge, or Miss Alina, in the children’s department at the FFPLTC from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Stop by to meet her and learn more about the kids programming and materials available at the FFPLTC.
