Meet Adriana Mitchell, Windsor Terrace’s Children’s Librarian

The Windsor Terrace Library (160 E 5th Street) opened in 1922, with 3,000 books tucked into the corner of a local pharmacy. It moved to its current location in 1969, conveniently steps from the F/G at Ft Hamilton Parkway and just across the street from PS 130.

We asked Adriana Mitchell, Children’s Librarian, about the branch’s current role in our community.

KBK: You work with children in the library. How do the ages of children change throughout the day? Is there an age group you prefer?
Adriana: Throughout the morning we get mostly children ages 0-5 and their parents and caregivers.

Once school is out, the library is in! Especially for the school across the street, PS 130. We get children of all ages at this time. We get some families that bring their kids for tutoring, and their younger siblings are using the Children’s Room space as well.

I like working with kids of all ages. They all have different needs at whatever stage they are.

Do you get to work with PS 130?
We are currently serving this school in many ways: class visits, use of library space for tutoring services, yearly music ensemble program, and collaboration with summer reading.

What are the popular books at Windsor Terrace?
Some of the titles that I find  popular among the kids between kindergarten and 5th grade are Geronimo Stilton series, Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne, Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey, Rainbow Fairies series by Daisy Meadows, Bink and Gollie by Kate Dicamillo, Katie Woo by Fran Manushkin, Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, and Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holms.

For children Pre-K through 2nd grade, character books are very popular, such as Caillou, Clifford, Spot, Sponge Bob, Superman, Batman, etc.

What books do you recommend to patrons?
I recommend all the Jan Thomas books; they are very humorous. Also, Pete the Cat Books by Eric Litwin. And the different versions of There was an Old Lady That Swallowed A… For board books suggestions, I recommend Sandra Boynton and Karen Katz.

What was your favorite book growing up and what is it now?
My favorite book growing up was The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende. The Never Ending Story had a huge impact in my life. It was a pivotal time for me to turn to books for entertainment and comfort. I just couldn’t put the book down. I would stay up to all hours in the night to read. It was a great feeling!

My favorite children’s book now continues to be, since it came out more than ten years ago, the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. The Harry Potter Books were magical! No pun intended. I was just so immersed into the world that JK Rowling created. It was something I had never read before. And mind you I read this series, as many others, as an adult. I love recommending these books for fantasy readers, and it appeals to boys and girls!

Can you talk about some of the events held at the Windsor Terrace Branch?
The most important children events going on at the Windsor Terrace Branch at this time are:

• Preschool storytime (Mondays, 10:30 to 11:15am)

• From Seed to Plate, a gardening Program partnering up with the Green Team Project. The children and their families get to experience the process of growing lettuce and we are going to get to eat it!

• Toddler Time with Ms Cindy. Our long-time volunteer, Ms Cindy Broslma, delights children and their families every Tuesday with songs, stories, and music. (Tuesdays, 10:30 to 11:15am)

• Babies and Books storytime on Fridays.

For the older kids we offer:

• Tween Gaming run by our Technology resource specialist.

• Explore and Create: Once a month on Fridays where the focus is on creating art or a craft.

Another program worth highlighting for kids is our once-a-month book talk on the last Thursday of the month. We highlight a book, talk about an array of books, and the children get a chance to share their own books that they are excited about. We’ve been giving books away while supplies last.

When patrons leaving the library as where they can get a bite to eat, where do you send them?
For a quick snack, like a drink or bag of chips, just go Chinos (2923 Ft Hamilton Pkwy). They also have some great sandwiches. For more variety, definitely Brancaccio’s Food Shop (3011 Ft Hamilton Pkwy). They are both around the corner from the library on Fort Hamilton Parkway.

Next time you’re at the Windsor Terrace Library, on the corner of East 3rd Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway, be sure to say hi to Adriana!