By JEN BOUTIN

BCPL

With summer beginning to wind down, the Boyle County Public Library’s slate of summer events is rapidly drawing to a close. The summer reading program is held annually at the library in June and July and provides numerous fun and educational events for a variety of ages. While events are offered year-round, there is a marked increase in the number of programs held during the summer months.

This summer, the library has hosted at least 84 in-house and outreach programs for youth and families, with more than 3,000 people in attendance. To ensure the library continues to offer high quality service to its patrons during the busy summer months, interns are hired to help make the summer events a success. 

This summer the library hired Lainy Castenada, a rising senior at Centre College who is majoring in Spanish, and Hannah Sharp, a rising sophomore at the University of Kentucky who is double-majoring in computer science and mathematics, to work as interns during the summer reading program.

Kinsey Hisle is the youth services librarian. She and children’s librarian Libby McWhorter have worked closely with Castenada and Sharp throughout the summer.

“This is the second summer we’ve had interns,” says Hisle. “And I enjoy seeing how each intern brings their particular skills and interests to their work each summer.” She says the library’s  summer interns work on tasks that help their skills in public service, program planning, organization and teamwork by prioritizing projects and events according to each day’s schedule.

“Having great summer interns allows us to offer more involved programs and help more people during these busy months of summer reading. Hannah and Lainy are excellent with helping patrons participating in the summer reading program,” Hisle says. “We’ll miss them when they go back to school this fall.”

The interns took some time out from their schedules to talk about their experiences interning at the library.

Castenada: “I have had an amazing experience interning at the library so far. It has surpassed my expectations because I didn’t realize just how much I would love this job.”

Sharp: “I have absolutely loved working at the library this summer. The entire staff is welcoming and fun to be around, and working with the children never fails to put a smile on my face. Working at the library was better than I expected; I have honestly enjoyed every day that I have been here and will be sad to leave.”

BCPL: What projects have you worked on over the summer?

Castenada:  “We have had many projects over the summer. First we helped prepare for the summer reading program. We also help Kinsey and Libby with their programs. Throughout the week, we help the Outreach staff with preparing for their programs or helping them in the Bookmobile. When we aren’t working on summer reading events, we also have another project of withdrawing picture books that haven’t been circulated for at least five years.”

Sharp: “Most of our projects have been centered on the Summer Reading Program. We have helped prepare the summer reading bags and gotten to help plan activities for different children’s programs throughout the summer. We helped with upkeep of the children’s department, including shelving, shelf reading, and weeding books. In addition to this, we go on outreach stops to neighborhoods in the area and give out free books to kids, and we occasionally go to assisted living facilities.”

BCPL: What has been your favorite summer reading program or event?

Castenada:“I think my favorite has been the Kids Science Club. It’s amazing to watch them get excited about learning and help them expand their knowledge.”

Sharp:  “My favorite special event was the Reptiles & Amphibians show. It was really funny to watch the kids (and adults) interact with the animals and touch some that they had never gotten the chance to see up close. My favorite program is the Science Club. It is always kind of a whirlwind because there are so many kids, but it’s good because everyone leaves happy and thinking about the cool science experiment that they made and got to take home. It has been fun for me to see the amazement that the kids have about the project and then hear the sound of all of those happy kids in the children’s department finding books afterwards.”

BCPL: What have you learned this summer by working at the library?

Castenada:“This internship has provided me with so much insight. I have gained a much more profound understanding of what it is like to work in the library and a deeper appreciation for all the hard work that goes on away from the public’s eye.”

Sharp:  “This summer, I learned about all of the parts and pieces that have to come together in order to plan programs and keep a library in good shape. It takes a lot more people and work than I realized, but it is also more rewarding work than I had imagined. There is so much joy that comes from working in a library, and it was very cool to experience it firsthand.”

Due to its success, the library hopes to be able to continue the summer internship program in the future. Any internship opportunities will be listed on the website and on social media. For more information: BoylePubLib.org, (859) 238-7323.