More than thirty families crowd into the meeting room at Central Library. Music is playing. Bubbles are in the air.
At the center of all of this fun is Samantha Reid, a beloved youth librarian here at Central Library. Miss Sam, as she is known to many of her storytime families, was recently recognized by James Patterson for the amazing work she does for the Des Moines community as a youth librarian at DMPL.
This spring James Patterson released his book The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. To celebrate the release pledged to give away $200 to 250 librarians and library workers across the country for a total donation of $50,000. Miss Sam received one of those bonuses.
Bianca Osterhoudt first met Sam when she was a children's librarian at the East Side Library. When Sam moved to Central Library, Bianca began bringing her kids downtown the Thusday Wiggles and Giggles storytime. When Osterhoudt heard about the James Patterson bonus she knew she needed to nominate Sam.
"Miss Sam is one of the most kind and genuine people I have ever met. Her passion as a children’s librarian shines through every time I see her," Bianca said in her nomination letter. "She leads a children’s story-time that averages 30-plus kids every week and my favorite part is she takes the time to learn the name of every kid that comes through the door."
Whether Sam is leading a storytime, or sitting behind the desk in the youth section of the library, she greets each child and family with the same excitement and welcoming spirit. She has developed a loyal following of kids and families who make a point to come to Central Library to see her.
"We were not regulars at Central library at all until she moved there. But we had developed a decent group of mom friends that would attend her story time so when we found out she was moving it wasn't even a question that we would all start going there also" Bianca says. "My daughter starts 4 day a week preschool this fall and I'm considering dropping her down to 3 days because I'm so bummed we will miss story time (with Miss Sam) for the next 8 months."
Sam remembers how much it meant when her kids for young to go to the library, and for a librarian to remember their names. “Everybody needs to feel special and needs to be seen,” Sam says.
Come to one of Miss Sam's upcoming programs:
Storytimes
Thursdays, 10:15 AM-10:45 AM
Tweens/Teens
Saturday, September 7
10 AM-11 AM
Last Modified December 21, 2024
Type:
Kids & Teens