The Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) launched the ACLA StoryWalk® Collection in 2022 after seeing the program become increasingly popular at libraries across the county during the pandemic as a safe activity for the entire family. ACLA created the collection of StoryWalks®, so that all libraries could offer this program to their communities, which for some might be cost-prohibitive or too labor-intensive.
The concept of a StoryWalk® was created by Anne Ferguson in Montpelier, VT at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalks® started as laminated pages of a children’s book attached to wooden stakes and installed along an outdoor path. The titles in the ACLA StoryWalk® Collection are scanned and printed on coroplast signs to be used inside or outside and in temporary or permanent displays.
The ACLA StoryWalk® Collection includes more than 40 titles and continues to grow. Titles include favorites such as Llama Llama Red Pajama, The Day the Crayons Quit and Dragons Love Tacos, among many others. The collection is available to libraries, schools and other organizations serving kids and families. Many of the titles are nature-themed but there are also seasonal titles as well. The full collection is available to view on the online library catalog here.
While a StoryWalk® makes reading the book more interactive by walking page by page through the story, it also encourages engagement and educates the adult about the early literacy skills and the importance of reading. The ACLA StoryWalk® Collection titles feature a literacy tip, discussion prompt and/or activity on each sign providing further opportunities for the grown-up and child to interact with each other.
Moving forward, additional funding will allow for the collection to grow and include bilingual titles. Libraries remain the primary user; however, in recent months more schools and organizations have borrowed titles, including Pittsburgh Environmental Charter School, Beechwood Elementary School, O’Hara Elementary School and Pittsburgh Playful Collaborative for the Ultimate Play Date in Riverview Park.
Interested in borrowing a StoryWalk® or learning more about the collection? Contact Carrie Lane at lanec@aclalibraries.org.
