Last month I wrote about 5 ways to make the most of your library card. This month, I decided to interview my favorite children's librarian, Kimberly Bears. I first met Kim in the children’s section at my local library 5 years ago. I’ve never known a more cheerful, helpful and engaging children’s librarian. I still go to night readers, a tween and parent book club that she leads. I’m delighted to have her perspective here on Children’s Book Academy.
Kirsti Call: Why did you choose to go into library science and focus on kidlit?
Kimberly Bears: I have always loved going to and working in the library. I think in the back of my mind I always wanted to be a librarian, but was side tracked by meteorology first. Anyway, I was taking a Ch. Literature course in college and one of the projects I chose to do was do a story time. I remember it vividly…it was on my birthday, and I chose to do a Halloween story time (you were allowed to do that back then ;) I dressed up like Dorrie the Witch and shared the book Dorrie and the Witch’s Imp. It went so well!! I left the room knowing exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life…be a Children’s Librarian…and I am still doing it.
Kirsti Call: Why did you choose to go into library science and focus on kidlit?
Kimberly Bears: I have always loved going to and working in the library. I think in the back of my mind I always wanted to be a librarian, but was side tracked by meteorology first. Anyway, I was taking a Ch. Literature course in college and one of the projects I chose to do was do a story time. I remember it vividly…it was on my birthday, and I chose to do a Halloween story time (you were allowed to do that back then ;) I dressed up like Dorrie the Witch and shared the book Dorrie and the Witch’s Imp. It went so well!! I left the room knowing exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life…be a Children’s Librarian…and I am still doing it.
KC: What was your favorite book as a child?
KB: My favorite book as a child was The Three Billy Goat’s Gruff by Paul Galdone. My first grade teacher read it to us and I immediately went home and told my family all about it. My Dad said he would take me to the library that weekend to see if we could borrow it. I can still remember him showing me how to look it up in the card catalog and how to ask the librarian where to find it. I was hooked from then on! (Luckily the book was in…or who knows where I’d be now…lol.) Can you even believe that I was in first grade before I actually went to the library for the first time?
KC: Who is your favorite children’s author and why?
KB: Oh man…this is a tough one…so many levels of books, so many genres…I honestly can’t pick just one! How about if I give you my favorite one for today…I just read Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle and I loved it!
KB: My favorite book as a child was The Three Billy Goat’s Gruff by Paul Galdone. My first grade teacher read it to us and I immediately went home and told my family all about it. My Dad said he would take me to the library that weekend to see if we could borrow it. I can still remember him showing me how to look it up in the card catalog and how to ask the librarian where to find it. I was hooked from then on! (Luckily the book was in…or who knows where I’d be now…lol.) Can you even believe that I was in first grade before I actually went to the library for the first time?
KC: Who is your favorite children’s author and why?
KB: Oh man…this is a tough one…so many levels of books, so many genres…I honestly can’t pick just one! How about if I give you my favorite one for today…I just read Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle and I loved it!
To read the rest of this interview, go to Children's Book Academy here.
Great interview, Kirsti! I've always wanted to know what goes on in the head of a librarian. How lucky they are to spend each workday surrounded by books!
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