Delight Roberts credits her lifelong passion for reading to a powerful combination: her mother and public libraries.
A patron of The Seattle Public Library for 26 years, Delight is passing this passion down to her teenage son, Ethan, who is a library reader and competitive jump-roper (more on that soon!).
Delight and her brother grew up in Salt Lake City. They were raised by a single mom who was a teacher and an avid reader.
“On Saturdays, we would walk to the library, and the rule was that I could check out as many books as I could carry home. And we would spend the weekend reading on her bed.”
“It’s one of my very favorite memories,” says Delight.
When Delight became a mother herself 16 years ago, she was determined to carry on the tradition with Ethan.
Living in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood, she started regularly taking him to the Library’s University Branch to stock up on picture books. One day, when Ethan was around three years old, she saw a sign for a weekly pajama story time.
They started going every Tuesday evening, a good fit for a working parent and full-time attorney like Delight. It became an unshakable part of their Tuesday routine: dinner, story time, bed.
The experience came to be about much more than books, Delight says. As led by children’s librarian Kristin Edstrom, it involved art, music, dancing, bubbles, movement, and lots of social interaction between the kids and with Kristin.
“Story time is such a great opportunity for kids, at a young age, to interact with other kids in a social way without a lot of parental direction,” says Delight.
“There would be boas, and beads, and feathers, and a bubble machine. There was always something tactile. Ethan just loved it. And I just loved seeing him there and engaging with the library and books in such a creative and community-connecting way.”
As kids do, Ethan eventually outgrew story time, but the bond continued. They would still go to the University Branch to find books, with the help of Kristin and other staff such as Lynn Phan, a library associate at the time.
“Ethan would look forward to going and seeing them because he knew them. They would share a new book they found or ask Ethan what he was reading. That connection was so important.”
Years passed. The pandemic disrupted routines. Delight’s family continued to be avid library readers – reading over 100 books a year as a family! — and participated in library programs, including author talks and Book Bingo. But they lost touch with their story time friends.
Last month, though, a very special reunion happened. Ethan, now 16 and a tenth grader, is part of a competitive jump roping team with Rain City Ropeworks, which competes nationally and internationally. Delight regularly drives him to practice in West Seattle. While waiting for him, she goes to – where else? – the library.
At first, she would go to the West Seattle Branch. But then she realized that the High Point Branch was closer. One day, standing at the circulation desk, she recognized some old friends: Lynn, who was the branch’s operations supervisor, and Kristin, now the children’s librarian at the branch.
It had been at least eight years. They caught up and marveled at Ethan’s growth and remarkable new skill. Once a preschooler who jumped for bubbles in story time, he was now performing intricate jump roping moves.
A few days later, Ethan visited to do a quick show in front of the branch, and to give his former story time librarian a hug.
It was a full-circle moment. For Kristin and Lynn, the chance to see a former story time regular making their own impact on the community as a teen was a dream.
“It’s really cool to hear that story of one kid who you knew from long ago, and see how well they’re doing,” say Lynn.
“Usually, you don’t know what kind of impact you’ve had on someone,” Kristin adds. “You never get a chance to circle back. It was really beautiful.”
The University Branch job was Kristin’s first post as a children’s librarian. She has sweet memories of that evening story time. “It created a little community space for people to enjoy and connect with each other and have fun.”
Meanwhile, Delight’s dream of raising a reader has come true. Ethan, busy as he is, finds time to dig into both fiction and nonfiction. He especially loves mysteries and thrillers – “things that are too scary for me,” says Delight – but they have enough common interests that they can often share books. “It’s a two-for-one now,” she says.
Looking back, Delight can see the rewards of decades of connection to libraries: a bond with not just books and reading but to the people who make it all happen.
“I do think story time helped Ethan become an avid reader, and he still loves books, even with all the tech,” she says.
Many thanks to Delight, Kristin, and Lynn for sharing this story, and best wishes to Ethan and the Rain City Ropeworks team, which is competing in the National Jump Roping Championship from June 17-21 in Buffalo, New York!
Caption for photo at the top of the post: From left to right: Lynn, Delight, and Kristin jump for joy at their reconnection in the children’s section of the High Point Branch.
– Elisa M., Communications