Greenfield Public Library welcomes two new librarians

GREENFIELD — Danica Clayton, Children’s Librarian at the Greenfield Public Library, says that any time children kindergarten age and younger can be exposed to reading skills, it’s a good thing.

November 10 is Young Readers Day. Clayton, who began at the library in late August, oversees weekly story times for young children 10 a.m. Mondays.

“We’re trying to get kids age 5 and under to read 1,000 books before kindergarten,” Clayton said, referring to a 1,000 Books before Kindergarten program that is known nationwide that she’d like to implement here. “They might not be reading, but they’ll be listening, learning more vocabulary and interacting with language, setting them up early to be familiar with those things and associate reading with something that’s fun and enjoyable. That will set them up for their futures.”

Clayton said attendance at story times has fluctuated greatly. One week the Nodaway Valley preschool classes came to story time, which provided a big group that filled the library.

“We’ve had a handful of people,” Clayton said. “We’ve seen new faces in the library. I think that’s most important, to get kids in here I’ve never seen before.”

Two new librarians

Sandy Bingaman and Pam Eslinger are staff members at the library, but Clayton and new Library Director Tracy Wing are both new staff members at the library. Wing began in late October after Anna Shilling resigned from the position.

Wing, whose husband is a professor at Drake University, commutes to Greenfield from Waukee daily and is enjoying meeting the residents of this area. Born in North Dakota, she and her family have lived several places through the Upper Midwest throughout her adult life, mostly in Minnesota. She most recently worked in the Granger library.

“My director there told me to look at this job, and I’m currently going for my graduate degree so I can work at a director level,” Wing said .”This is the perfect fit. This library is wonderful, they have such nice people, the community is very friendly, and we had an awesome time meeting kids for trick or treat. This is the job I’ve been moving toward my entire life.”

Some of Wing’s dreams for the library are making the library a designated safe space for people to come, inviting young adults into some new programming opportunities, and utilizing the STEM resources the library has.

“There’s no limit on what we can do,” Wing said. “Danica and I will think of this or think of that, then we’re like, ‘Oh, we need to write this down.’”

Clayton graduated from the University of Iowa during the pandemic with her eyes on becoming a journalist, because her two passions are journalism and dance.

“I saw this job opening and thought that this was the first thing that’s made me excited, so I applied,” Clayton said. “I think that goes back to my love of books.”

Clayton explained that coming to the Greenfield library when she was young sparked her love of books.

“Since then, I’ve kept reading, and I think there’s so much you can learn,” Clayton said. “There’s so much fun you can have with books, and I think that’s stayed with me throughout these years.”

Other goals Clayton has for children’s programming are enhancing opportunities for 8 to 12-year-olds, starting a weekly after school program and better utilizing STEM materials the library already has.

“That’s kind of where I’m at right now, besides learning the ropes of the library,” Clayton said. “I think a lot of times people think libraries and they think books, but libraries are a place for all. You can come in and it’s not just books.”

The Greenfield Public Library is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. They may be found online on Facebook or at their website, www.greenfieldiowapubliclibrary.com.