NSU’s Alvin Sherman Library will host its sixth annual StoryFest, formerly known as SeussFest, on March 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event is a celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and features activities for the whole family. The event’s main focus is to promote early literacy in kids who live in Broward county and beyond.
Sarah Divine, adult services librarian, stated, the goal Storyfest is to “encourage kids and families to read together, to enjoy stories and to make that connection between literacy and family time. It’s all about getting kids to read, making reading fun.”
According to Divine, the reason they changed the name of the event was because “we felt that we could expand the subjects, the characters and the experience that we could offer to kids. It was time to grow.”
However, activities will still center around Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Attendees can sing happy birthday and the Cat in the Hat will blow out the candles in honor of Dr. Seuss.
Unlike last year, this year’s event will take place not only in the library but in the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center as well as the Don Taft University Center.
“We’ll have shows in the Miniaci theater and a variety of children entertainers, music, storytellers all around, and in the University Center we’ll have a guest children’s author that will be doing storytelling for children,” Leon stated.
The guest author will be local and award-winning author Lucia Gonzalez. She will present two of her books at the event as well as sign copies of her books.
“We are here to promote family literacy through all of those wonderful experiences for children [we’ll offer] whether in music or stories. They are having a growing opportunity in building their vocabulary and their hearing. It’s a great learning opportunity,” Leon added.
Those who wish to attend the event can expect a day full of fun activities such as storytellers, shows, face painting, activities outdoors, food and more.
The library has multiple sponsors for the event, one of those being the Erwin and Barbara Mautner Charitable Foundation. The foundation will provide books for children to pick up for free, which will be suitable for children of various reading levels.
“When kids arrive to the event, they get what is called the book buck and they go to our book giveaway area where they trade their book buck for any free book they would like,” Divine explained.
There will be over 30 books that kids will be able to choose from when trading their book buck.
“Giving a book to a child is a wonderful gift and opens up a lot of learning opportunities for that child and it can be shared in the family,” Leon added.
For students who wish to volunteer, the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement is offering SERV hours.
“We have various areas that students can volunteer in. We need people in the greeting area, registration, people who give out the books to kids and people to volunteer in Character Central,” Divine added.
The event is geared mainly toward children ages four to eight. However, anyone interested can attend the free event. For more information or to sign up for volunteer shifts you can contact Sarah Divine at sf787@nova.edu or visit the library’s event website at public.library.nova.edu/storyfest/.
