Children's coordinator helping library play role in community

BILL HENLEY
The Post and Courier

Charlotte Johnston, children’s services coordinator for the Dorchester County Library system, arranges books on display at the Summerville branch.

Charlotte Johnston is charged with helping young people see the value of a library not just for its books.

"I've always felt the community aspect of the library is very important," she said.

The Dorchester County Library's children's services coordinator has been working for the past six years with children of all ages to establish the library as part of the fabric of the community, whether it's in Summerville or St. George.

Johnston, 29, is responsible for coordinating the summer reading and activity programs and picking out books for the collection and the Bookmobile. Over time, it's given her an interesting perspective on how people grow into using the library as a resource.

"Kids who were in my story time when I started six years ago are now old enough to fill out their own library cards and reading chapter books," she said. "It's just kind of neat seeing them grow up. I'm seeing the teenagers who had started with me when they were 'tweens and seeing them this year graduate high school and going to college. Watching that progression. And it's neat seeing how they do see the library is an important part of their community, that it's not just a place to go get books. It's a place to go to get information and meet other kids."

She hadn't intended on being a librarian. She earned a history degree from the College of Charleston and a master's in education and social science from The Citadel with the intention of becoming a high school teacher.

"And then a position opened at the library and I thought maybe teaching wasn't for me at the time. I was 23 years old, going to teach 17-year-olds, and I didn't think that would translate well. I got the job at the library and realized this was the place for me, so I went to USC and got my master's in library and information science," she said.

Because she was already leaning toward teaching, Johnston thought the idea of working with children was a good transition. And, she said, it's consistently been a rewarding experience.

"I think (the most satisfying part is) seeing how the kids respond to the library in general, particularly with programming," she said. "The small children who come to story time, and seeing how much they enjoy com-ing and how they can't wait to come see their story-time friends and story-time teacher. For the older kids, how much they enjoy coming to the programs and the summer reading club and seeing them grow up."

When she's not planning reading and arts and crafts programs or puppet shows, most of her time is spent examining the collection.

"Ordering books is not as easy as it seems. You really have to think about what you're purchasing," she said. "Make sure it's good quality material that you feel the community would enjoy having.

If it's nonfiction, make sure it fits into the homework needs of the students or into their personal interests. Our collection is well-used here, so there's a lot of maintenance to it." Ironically, reading is not a perk of the job.

"People think librarians just sit around and read all the time, which couldn't be further from the truth," Johnston said. "I am so not up on my current adult fiction. I don't have time. We're so busy with so many other things, we just don't have time to sit around with books. It would be nice if we could."