A stand-up bass, a pound of patience and a sprinkle of crazy all blend together as the perfect recipe for Andy Calvert to captivate the children who attend his story telling sessions at the Main Branch of the St. Johns County Library.
The local library is one of the most important resources that families and schools depend on in a small community. In particular, the children’s librarian must be tuned in to school curriculums, new authors on the horizon, and of course the needs of parents. It is a juggling act and requires left and right brain skills. Andy’s left-brain skills keep things organized, researches materials, and designs programs while his right-brain side dresses up, plays music, and reads stories with the flair of an actor.
The Journey
Andy graduated college with the idea of becoming a radio personality and started on that path at a local St. Augustine radio station. At the time radio was undergoing significant challenges and soon Andy realized that he may not survive a corporate takeover. He started to think about other options. With a baby on the way, he felt he needed stability, so he accepted a job at St. Johns River State College in the library. This ignited a passion for the field, so he pursued a Master of Library and Information Science degree. Once completed, it was time to discover what type of librarian he would become. Fate stepped in at this point as the opening came up for a children’s librarian. Andy thought, “I have children, I can do this. So I went for it, and got lucky.”
The Programs
Parents depend on the library as a free and accessible resource offering activities for their children. One of the most important aspects of the position of children’s librarian is designing a curriculum. “It’s a lot of listening to the community and making sure we are filling their needs with the budget we are given,” said Andy. He said his biggest challenge (yet, a fun one) is finding new and interesting ways to educate and entertain the children.
One of the most successful summer programs at the library is the summer reading program. Last year 900 children signed up and this summer started off with a bang with 300 children signing up the first two weeks. In this program a reading log is stamped each day a child reads a book. When the child receives five stamps, he/she gets a free book and toy. Last year they gave away over 1600 books and toys. The Friends of the Library are a big help in ensuring the success of this program.
The Story Telling
Storytime happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays all summer long. Sessions are available for babies, toddlers and elementary age children. Andy and his assistant Marsha start out with a stand-up bass and ukulele duo. Within seconds, the children, even the shy ones, have pulled themselves away from the grasp of their parents and are jumping up and down on the “Hungry Caterpillar” rug. “The music is the crazy part and the books are the calm down part. I’m always pushing my luck going back and forth between the two,” explained Andy. The bottom line is that the children love it, the weekly turnout is huge, and most return weekly.
The Kids
Summer is a time when many grandparents are taking over the care of their grandchildren while parents work. Storytime is a welcome addition to their summer activities. Patty Hunt, there with her four-year-old grandson, said, “Andy is awesome with the kids and he has tons of patience,” and Tammy Grab, with her three-year-old grandson, said, “Andy has a knack for incorporating fun and education.” Lisa Compton, with her five-year-old granddaughter, said, “I think he’s awesome. I love the bass as it adds to the cultural enrichment. Her granddaughter, Kayden added, “His art projects are great and I can always do them.” Cheryl Piscopo has been a regular for a year and said, “My grandson loves the bass, the singing and the dancing.”
Home Life
Andy has two children at home, an eight and a ten-year-old. Interestingly, his wife is also a librarian. No doubt the love of knowledge is an important element of their home life. Andy credits his mom for his love of reading. She brought him to the library weekly and checked out stacks of books just as the children visiting his library do now. Music is another important aspect of Andy’s life. You may see him around town with his group “The Wobbly Toms” playing at places like the Colonial Quarter or up in Atlantic Beach. He enjoys getting out his bass whenever possible.
Stories to Come
From the look of the crowd waiting in front of the library doors on Tuesdays and Thursdays, it is evident Andy Calvert has endeared himself to the children, parents, and grandparents of the community of St. Augustine. Be on the lookout for Fall storytime, returning on September 1, 2016.
1960 North Ponce De Leon Boulevard
www.sjcpls.org
Photography by Rob Futrell
