Robyn Miles / Daily News
Debra Atkins, right, says she looks forward to storytimes at LaGrange Memorial Library, where she has taken over as children’s librarian.
Debra Atkins, right, says she looks forward to storytimes at LaGrange Memorial Library, where she has taken over as children’s librarian.
The Atkins liked it so much that they decided to bring it home to LaGrange.
A traveler, a collector and a reader in her spare time, Atkins said, “It is great. We enjoy it and love bringing it to the community.”
That is not the only thing that Atkins enjoys bringing to the community. She recently was named children’s librarian at LaGrange Memorial Library, succeeding longtime children’s librarian Pat Gay, who retired.
Atkins retired after more than 30 years as an elementary school media specialist in the Troup County school system.
Though Atkins works part time, her duties include everything from serving on the Azalea Storytelling Festival committee to leading the weekly story time for children at the library and keeping the children’s section at the library current and in order.
She traces her love of reading back to “when I was in fourth grade, and our teacher would read to us. I really liked it when she read ‘Time at the Top’ and ‘A Wrinkle In Time.’ “
In Atkins’ opinion, reading is essential in building “a child’s imagination. So many children today are used to sitting in front of the television. … Books enable them or force them to use their imaginations and draw pictures in their minds of the story that they are reading.”
As part of the children’s story time sessions, she uses activities such as finger plays and crafts to encourage them to read.
Atkins has several goals in mind she hopes to achieve as children’s librarian, including “to straighten the easy section so that it is patron-friendly and to update our children’s collection.”
Becky Holland can be reached at bholland@lagrangenews.com and (706) 884-7311, Ext. 229.
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