04/27/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/27/2023 16:02
There's a new reason to visit Shute Park - a StoryWalk®!
In collaboration with the City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department, and with funding from the State Library of Oregon's Read to Read Grant program, the first StoryWalk® in Hillsboro opened on April 25 to a crowd of happy children.
"Installing a StoryWalk® in Hillsboro parks allows us to extend our services into the community and meet people where they are," said Hillary Ostlund, City of Hillsboro Public Library Director.
"It's a fun, educational activity for everyone that combines the outdoors, literacy, healthy activities, and family time."
A StoryWalk® is just what it sounds like: A story you can enjoy while you walk. Picture book pages are mounted on frames along a path and may include activity prompts.
The Public Library Association describes it this way: "A StoryWalk® is literally taking apart a picture book, placing each laminated page in a weather-protected frame, and placing these frames in an outdoor space so that children and families can enjoy books in an outdoor setting."
The StoryWalk® at Shute Park begins on the path between the Shute Park Library, goes counterclockwise behind the stage, and ends near the park's playground.
The featured book will change every two months. In May & June 2023, the featured book is We Laugh Alike Juntos nos reímos, by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand.
New stories will be selected for the upcoming schedule:
The Library Foundation of Hillsboro has already provided funding for the next StoryWalk®, which should open later this year. The Foundation has also committed to funding more StoryWalks® around Hillsboro over the next few years.
The StoryWalk® project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Anne Ferguson.