Haleigh's Practicum Diary

Date: 6/3/26

Time Worked: 9am-1pm (approx. 4 hours)

Name: Haleigh Hare

Supervisor’s name: Marisa Bateman/ Julie Kulikowski (Marisa is supervising my entire experience within the D.C. Public Library System, while Julie is supervising me in this specific, West End Library, branch)

Description of the Day:

This was my last day at the wonderful West End Library, working alongside Julie. I was sad to say goodbye, but I am incredibly grateful for the experience and for the effort, care, and attention she devoted to making this practicum meaningful. Throughout my time at the branch, I was inspired by her passion for librarianship and her commitment to serving children and families. Watching her work reinforced my desire to pursue children’s librarianship as a career.

This day was also significant because I led my first-ever story time as a librarian in a public library. I was less nervous than I expected to be, largely because of the positive experiences I had already had with the library’s programs and patrons. To celebrate the 130th anniversary of DC Public Library, I created paper crowns that read “Happy 130th” and distributed them to each child and caregiver who attended. We welcomed approximately 25 participants, including both children and caregivers, filling about half of the multipurpose room. The program was intended for children ages 0–5, and I expected a fairly wide range of ages. However, the audience ended up consisting of one three-year-old and several infants under the age of one.

I began with a welcome song and introduced myself to the group. The children appeared to enjoy the song so much that I repeated it a second time. I then read The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli. Afterward, I introduced a cardboard box and sang “What’s in the Box?” while shaking it and encouraging the children to make observations. I asked whether the objects inside seemed large or small, heavy or light, and what colors they might be. After building anticipation with a drumroll, I opened the box to reveal a Very Hungry Caterpillar plush toy and the remaining books for the program.

Next, I read The Birthday Book by Todd Parr, pausing occasionally to encourage participants to mime actions such as blowing up balloons or mixing ingredients for a birthday cake. I concluded with The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Birthday Party. For the finale, I used a scarf as a pretend candle flame while everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to the library. The children and caregivers then helped “blow out” the candle together.

At that point, I realized I was only twenty-two minutes into what was intended to be a thirty-minute program. I panicked briefly and looked to Julie for guidance. She quickly stepped in and asked whether the group would like to sing “The Wheels on the Bus.” The final eight minutes turned into a lively sing-along, and we ended the program with a goodbye song.

After the program, I spent time reflecting on the experience. My primary takeaway was that flexibility is one of the most important skills a children’s librarian can develop. Had I been more comfortable adjusting my plan in the moment, I would have modified the program to better suit the audience that was actually present. Because most of the children were infants, I would have incorporated more rhythm-based activities, clapping games, and repetitive songs rather than relying on the miming activities I had planned. I also would have read the books more slowly, allowing additional time to point out illustrations and engage the children through observation and repetition.

My previous experience working primarily with three- to five-year-olds influenced how I structured the program. I approached the books with the expectation that I would read through them somewhat cohesively, pausing only occasionally for participation. This experience helped me recognize that story time planning must account not only for a target age range but also for the specific developmental needs of the children who attend. While I was initially hesitant to deviate from my prepared plan, I now better understand the importance of adapting programming in real time.

Despite these lessons, I am very pleased with how the program turned out and proud of my performance. Leading my first public library story time was an important milestone in my professional development. The experience increased my confidence as a future children’s librarian and gave me valuable insight into program planning, audience engagement, and the adaptability required to successfully serve young children and their caregivers.

Pictured above are the books and props I used for my first story time! The biggest hits were The Birthday Box, the box itself, and the plush caterpillar. Upon reflection, there were opportunities to use them both more.