Guymon library promotes Storytime, Día del Niño craft events for families

Guymon Public Library put its youngest patrons first with Spring Storytime for ages 0 to 4 at 1718 N. Oklahoma St., then followed it with a Book Vase & Page Roses craft tied to Día del Niño. For parents and grandparents looking for something local, structured and affordable, the week’s lineup gave families a no-cost option close to home and a reminder that the library is doing more than lending books.

The April 28 Storytime ran from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., while the April 30 craft event leaned into the holiday theme with paper roses and decorated book vases. The city’s live feed also pointed readers toward manga in the young adult space, a small detail that shows the library is trying to reach more than one age group at once, from preschoolers to teens.

That mix matters in Guymon, where the public library serves not just the city but Texas County, including Texhoma. The Guymon Public Library and Arts Center has operated since Sept. 3, 2013, at the same downtown address, backed by a one-cent city sales tax for capital improvements, an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act USDA grant and a donation from the Nash Foundation. Blair Henson is listed as library director, and Daisy Hernandez serves as the children’s librarian.

The programming fits the community around it. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts show Guymon had 12,965 residents in the 2020 Census, with 61.3% identifying as Hispanic or Latino. The same data show 31.2% of residents were under 18, 49.2% of people age 5 and older spoke a language other than English at home, and 27.0% of residents were foreign-born. In that setting, a Día del Niño event is not just a themed craft session; it is a practical way to meet families where they are.

Storytime has also become a steady part of the library’s rhythm. The children’s programs page says it has been held every Tuesday at 10 a.m. since October 2025, giving families a regular point of contact with the library’s staff and space. That consistency is part of the appeal for busy households that need a dependable place for early reading and social time.

The library’s reach has also extended beyond Guymon’s borders. During the week of April 13 to 17, Henson represented Oklahoma, Guymon and the Panhandle at the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ America 250 Convening in Phoenix, where other librarians were said to have been inspired by ideas from Guymon. With quarterly board meetings set for Jan. 22, April 23, Aug. 27 and Oct. 22, the library’s calendar shows a small institution trying to stay visible, useful and rooted in the daily life of Texas County.