A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Boone County Public Library staffer is a great fit in her early childhood education role


By Ginger Stapp
Special to the NKyTribune

I am super lucky to have a job that I am passionate about.

Boone County Public Library Early Literacy Specialist Ginger Stapp (left) has a passion for her job, and for life.

In an informal way, I share my love of stories and learning with children and their families making it exciting to come to work almost every day. Developing a love of reading is critical to children’s healthy development and success in school; I want to be a part of this.

I came to BCPL a little over 5 years ago as a Youth Services Associate planning and implementing programs at the Scheben Branch before taking on the role as Early Literacy Specialist at the Main Library in September of 2017 in which I coordinate our storytimes and make sure our preschool programming is developmentally appropriate.

Parents are children’s first and most important teachers.

I model ways for caregivers to enjoy talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing with their children to enrich their early childhood education. I support our staff by sharing tools, training, and research to make our programs fun and educational, with a big emphasis on fun.

I have always been impressed with the way BCPL works to serve the entire community. We provide solid services for all ages and types of people with professionalism and kindness.

No one is excluded from learning and becoming the best person they can be. Our motto sums it up with “Discover, Explore, Experience a lifetime of learning.”

I was raised on a farm in Pulaski County next door to my grandparents.

I had good friends and warm relationships with my church family. Really idyllic, looking back on it. My family had my best interests at heart and showed me what it meant to be a good person by example and by the use of teachable moments.

My husband’s career eventually took us to Cincinnati for four years. I finished my graduate work to be a school librarian and joined River Ridge Elementary in Villa Hills as the Media Librarian. We wanted to be closer to our family in southern Kentucky, so we moved to Florence in 1996. I love living here and loved raising my children here. The library system, excellent schools, and great parks were a big part of that.

I have a wonderful family. My parents, my husband, and my adult children are the kind of people you would want to have as friends and neighbors. I’m really proud of them and find them to be one of the greatest blessings in my life. I am an extrovert and like to laugh a lot so spending time with family and friends is one of my greatest joys.

In my free time, I like to attend rock concerts. I’ve had a blast on music-based cruises such as “The Rock Boat” and “Ships and Dip” which features my favorite band, Barenaked Ladies. I was the strangest dressed person at Bonnaroo Music Festival a few years ago wearing bermuda shorts and plain tank tops.

I have seen Barenaked Ladies perform around 50 times over the past 12 years. People think that’s strange, but it’s a different show every single time. If I had said I had been to 50 of the same team’s games over the course of 12 years you wouldn’t think it odd.

I’ve also seen Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Chicago, The Beach Boys, Willie Nelson, Dawes, Guster, Panic! at the Disco, Train, Paul Simon, O.A.R., Florence and the Machine, Rod Stewart, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, way too many to count.

I like to be in the pit if at all possible, and I need room for dancing. Lots of room.

I enjoy participating in community theater productions, although I have not done this recently. My favorite roles were The Wicked Witch of the West in Union Community Theater’s “The Wizard of Oz” in 2011 and Betsy Gridley in Beechmont Players’ “Messiah on the Frigidaire” in 2010.

I love everything about it, but the time commitment is too great at this time in my life. Fortunately though, I can use the storytelling skills in my programming.

My husband and I recently purchased a camper which starts a whole new chapter of fun.

We have taken some good trips this year including Washington D.C.; Cherokee, North Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina; Red River Gorge and Harlan, Kentucky camping with friends and family.

Some great trips we have taken without the camper include San Francisco, Key West, a couple of Caribbean cruises, Italy, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Chicago, Nashville, and Atlanta.

I love being my own tour guide, and I do a lot of research to learn about the place before we go. It’s part of the fun for me. And what better place to research my destinations than Boone County Public Library?

Ginger Stapp is the Boone County Public Library Early Literacy Specialist


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