It started with Harry Potter

IOWA CITY - Morgan Reeves trekked through the labyrinth of hallways and stairwells of the Iowa City Public Library, clutching a cup of coffee in a mug decorated by kids.

Before the library opens at 10 a.m. on a Monday in the middle of August, Reeves, a children's services librarian, and the other librarians and staff members prepared for throngs of children who are restless before the start of school. They fine-tuned the days' programs for adults who come in to look up local history or simply find a quiet spot to read or work.

A public library, similar to other public organizations, serves a diverse population. The librarians themselves are teachers, information specialists and local historians.

'A public library is really great,” Reeves said. 'For the vast majority of people, it's pretty much a free service provided to the majority. It provides information access.

'It equalizes people.”

TODDLERS TO TEENS

In fifth grade, Reeves knew she wanted to be a librarian after her school librarian gave her a gift of her first Harry Potter book after she helped clean up the library. Harry Potter memorabilia is displayed on Reeves's desk today.

'Not only did it start the Harry Potter love, but it made me think librarians are awesome,” she said. 'In college, I liked to say I wanted to do everything. This is a really good way to do everything.”

With a master's degree in library science, Reeves does 'everything” from teaching social skills to literacy. As children - who come from all backgrounds - walk into the library, Reeves reminded each one to say 'please” and 'thank you,” to share and to use the computers. She also helps children pick out books based on their interests.

The annual mean pay for librarians in Iowa City is $64,890, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

About 45 minutes before the library opened for the day, Reeves rifled through a supply closet with rows of white plastic tubs filled with various toys and learning devices, such as blocks for toddlers. Others are more advanced, such as the devices that teach preteens and high schoolers about electrical circuitry and coding. Reeves wants to offer a free coding class in the future.

Various classes or programs expose visiting children to new skills, Reeves said.

'Some of these are for working on motor skills,” she said. 'Shapes lead to text awareness. It really helps them (children) get ahead in life.

'If you have a kid that doesn't play, you don't have a lot of that cognitive ability they need to learn to walk through life.”

Mari Reddington, a library assistant, has the added task of entertaining and sometimes baby-sitting.

The library is a safe space for children to explore after school or during the summers when parents are at work, she said. This means that there are regular groups of children who listen to Reddington's story time in the mornings, and she watches the kids grow up.

One of themes on which Reddington has focused story time was what she calls 'Fractured Fairy Tales,” traditional fairy tales with a change in setting or twist of culture. While the title may hearken back to the 'Rocky and Bullwinkle” animated cartoon TV series, some of the books Reddington has featured included Interstellar Cinderella and Ninja Red Riding Hood.

But story time isn't just entertainment for toddlers and children.

'If kids can sit and listen to a story, it's really quite impressive,” Reddington said. 'Sometimes we underestimate the amount of patience and focus it takes. They increase vocabulary, follow a narrative, make connections to different stories.”

But sometimes the questions Reddington asks at the end of story time - questions meant to stimulate cognitive activity - are met with unexpected answers.

'You'll ask, ‘Have you ever been on a vacation?' And they'll say, ‘Yep, I went to my grandma's house today.'”

Reeves also tackles the challenge of getting preteens to engage in learning with each other and developing better social skills. Minecraft, a video game, is a hit for teens, so Reeves allows gaming sessions on the library computers.

'For me, one of the big things is getting them in a room together as opposed to just being online,” Reeves said. 'They learn to deal with conflict.”

CHANGING PURPOSES

Upstairs in the adult section, Maeve Clark, an adult services coordinator, answers a multitude of questions at the information desk each morning.

Clark said she has seen first hand how libraries have become information and resource centers over the decades, expanding beyond hard-copies of books.

The library provides programs on how to use computers, as well as classes on more specific topics, such as the one Clark taught on how to use Pinterest.

Clark grew up with close ties to the library, she recalled. Her mother was on the Tipton library board.

But it was a job shelving books at the Iowa City Public Library inspired Clark to go to library school.

'It was just an inspirational place to be, a cutting-edge place that is doing things before other libraries,” she said. 'I got to watch people who loved their jobs do their jobs, and then see the appreciation from the community.”

Librarians serve those of every socio-economic background and literacy level, Clark added.

A growing topic of interest Clark said she has had more questions on is local history. Libraries houses tomes on specific periods in local history, whether hard-copied or digitized. Patrons also are interested in genealogy, she said.

If Clark can't assist in finding the pieces to a past event or topic, she can point patrons in the right direction to find the information.

The library already does outreach to draw in Iowa City residents who don't use the library, she said, such as community events and different reading programs.

And the Iowa City Public Library is seeking to have a mobile library this spring that would allow patrons to check out books from a truck.

'We're really trying to reach as many people as possible,” Clark said.

l Comments: (319) 368-8516; makayla.tendall@thegazette.com