Researchers: Lynne (E. F.) McKechnie and Pam McKenzie, Faculty of Information and Media Studies, University of Western Ontario

Ethnographic observation and interviewing was conducted at eleven, 30 minute sessions of public library baby/adult caregiver storytimes to discover what actually happens at these sessions. One of the surprising results was that the adult caregivers engage in everyday life information sharing about topics such as parenting, health, child development, travel, and daycare. These findings suggest that storytime programs, in addition to being important literacy events for the children participating, also act as information grounds or informal sites where information is shared.

This study was funded by ALA's Carroll Preston Baber Research Grant award.