Analysis of language use in public library storytimes

Public libraries are well positioned to support young children’s growth and development, yet few studies have examined programming to determine the extent to which they actually do. The current study investigated the nature of language use in public library storytimes as an initial step in determining their potential to contribute to the vocabulary and oral language development of young children. The study employed textual analysis methods with 22 storytime transcripts to identify token and type counts, the most frequent words spoken by participating librarians and children respectively, the major grammar elements present, and the top 20 nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Results suggest that librarians dominate storytime communication with language that is highly repetitive and complex, yet centered on children and cognitively accessible for them. Further, storytimes seem to promote cognitive and behavioral skills necessary for school success such as counting and exposure to foundational concepts like colors, size, and position.