Douglas County Libraries - More Than Just Books
by Terri Wiebold

Since ancient times, storytellers have shared stories to pass on wisdom, engage the imagination of young people, and foster a sense of community. The spellbinders storytelling program recreates this age-old tradition by bringing together generations and advancing literacy, while enriching the lives of children and volunteers alike.

Spellbinders is a group of volunteers who attend a series of storytelling training workshops and then come into classrooms to share stories with young people. They tell animated folktales and personal stories. Some adopt a particular school and tell stories there once a month; others go to different schools in the county throughout the school year.

The Douglas County Chapter of Spellbinders is currently accepting new volunteers, ages 55 and older, interested in storytelling at area schools. For more information about the program, contact the School Community Partnership Coordinator for the Douglas County School District, Debby Novotny, at 303-387-0128 or go to www.spellbinders.org and click on the "Chapters" tab, scrolling down to the Douglas County chapter.

"Volunteering has been a very rewarding experience for me personally, " said one spellbinder known by her identification name of Different Grandma. "The kids absolutely love the program, and seem to be entranced when we tell our stories."

Free Online Tutoring Help

The Douglas County Library District is currently offering a free program online to students of all ages. The program, "Live Homework Help," provides live technical suport with real tutors in Math, Science, Social Studies, and English. The program is available everyday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Check out the program at www.douglascountylibraries.org.