Supercharged Storytimes: Let’s put this show on the road!
Saroj Ghoting, Diane Hutchins, Kendra Jones, and Greta Bergquist
Washington State Library’s Diane Hutchins has has returned from the highly successful Supercharged Storytimes tour of Washington State. Diane was joined by nationally renowned, early literacy consultant Saroj Ghoting. Ghoting is co-author of the new book, Supercharged Storytimes: An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide. Also along on the tour was Kendra Jones, one of the Joint Chiefs of the Storytime Underground. At each site they were joined by guest presenters who had participated in Project VIEWS2. Workshops were held at 8 libraries (4 west of the mountains and 4 east of the mountains) resulting in the supercharging of 131 library staff.
The workshops were incredibly well received and generated renewed enthusiasm among seasoned 
storytelling practitioners as well as excitement among the newbies. Skeptics who were prepared to be underwhelmed left as enthusiastic converts. But, in addition, Diane came back with a wonderful story about the power of libraries for making connections.
In Richland, as shewas getting ready to check out of the hotel and go to the Richland Public Library for the first workshop held in Eastern Washington, Diane got into a conversation with the hotel desk clerk. When learning that Diane was a librarian, the clerk talked about her great-grandmother, Doris Roberts, who had been very involved in the local library. A few moments later, as Diane was looking for the room where the workshop was to be held at the Richland Public Library, she spotted the sign, “Doris Roberts Gallery.” Wouldn’t you know – that’s where the Supercharged Storytimes workshop going to be held. Small world, or library connection? You tell me.
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