Halloween storytime at the BPL with Councilmember Rita Joseph
Sometimes the littlest tykes and terrors can feel left out of the spooky season as the city celebrates Halloween in full swing this Tuesday. Never fear! Councilmember Rita Joseph’s storytime at the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) in Flatbush was just one of the many events geared toward infants and toddlers this year.
“[A library is] everything because it’s a lifeline to the community. It provides so many supports for adults, children, and teens,” said Joseph.
Joseph grew up in the district, close to the library on Cortelyou Road, and attended Public School 139. She also taught public school for 22 years. Old habits die hard: Now she’s City Council education chair, she joked. She frequents the library to read to the youngest visitors during their weekly storytime.
This year, Joseph donned a simple cat costume for Halloween and read three books to the children: “There’s a Monster in Your Book” by Tom Fletcher, “Can You Make a Scary Face?” by Jan Thomas, and “Click, Clack, Boo! A Tricky Treat” by Doreen Cronin.
The kids excitedly gathered around on the carpet in their little costumes, playing along with the interactive books. Costumes included Sonic the Hedgehog, Winnie the Pooh, Spiderman, and princesses.
Joseph said libraries play a critical role in public education and public safety when it comes to young people. Libraries are open late to provide a safe environment for students; some branches have teen and technology hubs, and job resources for adults. Funding for the city’s libraries was a huge topic of debate earlier this year between the City Council and the mayor’s office. She said she was happy that they were able to restore library funding in the city’s budget.
Antonia Bramble, branch manager at Cortelyou, said that the library is often packed after school.
“We serve people,” added Jay Taubman, assistant branch manager. “We help people with finding jobs, finding social services, kids with reading and tutoring. We always have services for people of all ages in our community.”
Joseph’s office collaborated with MetroHealth Plus and the Brooklyn Emerge food pantry to give parents bags filled with coloring books, crayons, and fruit. In the spirit of health and wellness, they decided against giving out candy, much to the chagrin of a few kids.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
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