LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) - Libraries are notoriously quiet, but the Shively branch is anything but on Thursday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to noon. That's when Dr. Yalonda JD Green takes the stage.
"Yeah, the singing librarian, the scatting librarian, the jazzy librarian, I've got a few labels now,” Green said.
Her weekly story times are wildly popular.
"It's musical and it's reading, but it's more a lifelong love of learning and curiosity and of community,” Green said.
She’s served as the children’s library assistant at Shively Library for almost four years with her new-found fame happening recently thanks to a recent recording.
“This year, somebody took a video of it, and apparently people liked it,” Green said.
That song sample solidified status as the best book boss around, although she'll tell you differently.
"I don't know that I'm the coolest librarian because librarians are pretty cool, just in general,” Green said.
The spectacular singer is classically-trained, with a voice as timeless as her tunes.
"It's something that ties to us being uniquely human. When we can connect to our own voices, and when we sing together, wonderful things happen,” Green said.
Take one look at the faces of her students, and that's clear as can be. She has them laughing and learning through every lesson.
"I can use all of the things that kind of make me, me to make an impact that is meaningful and hopefully is lasting,” Green said. “Music and singing are some of the most exciting tools that we can use for building early literacy in young children.”
Her work isn’t just entertaining. It's educational and encouraging, with every story helping the youngest readers start theirs.
“It feels like work because I know that it’s important. I want to make sure that the craft and my musicianship is always present and that I’m able to do the work justice,” Green said. “Sometimes grownups have tough days, and there are times where I walk into a daycare or an elementary classroom, and those little people are just sitting there and they’re ready or they see me come and they’re like she’s here! Hearing their laughter, hearing their singing, seeing their excitement when we play games is just wonderful. To know that my presence and the work that I do not only entertains and educates children, but it inspires them to want to enter a field and it makes them want to do things that I get to do, that is, that’s wonderful.”
Green is also the lead singer of The Afrophysicists. The local band specializes in Nigerian funk music and performs at lots of festivals and events around town.
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