MONROE - Children refer to her as Miss Kris. Adults in their 20s and 30s who knew her when they were children come to the Monroe Public Library for tours, asking about her.
"Where's Miss Kris? Is Miss Kris still here? Oh, can you go get her?" they ask Library Director Suzanne Holland.
"She's like a rock star," Holland said.
As youth services coordinator at the Monroe library for more than 22 years, Ault achieved her rock-star status through storytelling, which she does both at the library and at outreach events in the community. For the outreach events, she travels to places such as Rainbow Child Care and reads stories to the kids.
"We have so many children in the community now who can't come to the library on a regular basis," Ault said. "Parents are working, households are under a lot of stress financially, so when I can go out to preschools and to the daycare centers, that's my favorite part because I bring the library to kids who otherwise might not know about it."
Rainbow's administrator Kristine Hartwig said Ault is "an absolutely wonderful lady," emphasizing her rapport with children.
"She's infectious," Hartwig said. "She's very bubbly. She gets you involved. She's upbeat. She just is very easy, easy to work with. The kids love her."
Unfortunately for the children and parents who love her programs, Ault is retiring in April and will be out of the library for most of March.
"She'll be sadly missed by the children," Hartwig said. "She's been a wonderful asset to our program."
Holland echoed that sentiment. "It's a tremendous personal loss for the library because we've all enjoyed working with her so much and it's going to be hard for someone to follow her," she said. "But it's also an opportunity to bring some additional ideas and Kris is the first one to say that."
Holland noted how much she's learned from Ault in the three and a half years since Holland started at the Monroe library.
"The amount of knowledge that she brings to the table is incredible," Holland said. "All her years of experience come to the forefront and her knowledge of children's literature and early child development are just incredible."
Ault spoke fondly about her past work, becoming particularly animated when describing the puppet shows she put on for about 10 years. She described the skills she would teach the puppeteers, her tone instructive as if she were with the children.
"Children are so easily transported in that magical world of puppetry that it was - it was great fun to see their responses and the responses of their parents and caregivers as well," Ault said. "I think everyone enjoyed those years."
She started at the Monroe Public Library around 1992, helping children from multiple generations develop an appreciation for books. Some of her earliest "storytime friends" return to the library with their own children.
"They still remember me and I hope that that helps cement that connection that the library is a good place to be with people that are easy to be around and just a wonderful source of good information and good fun," Ault said. "We have a wonderful team here."
Ault stressed the library as a resource and a place for kids to develop. She encourages parents to stop at the library to learn how to engage their kids in early literacy skills - "things children need to know before they even begin to learn to read.
"Parents are so important in the lives of their child and it doesn't - it isn't hard, and it can be a lot of fun to help your little ones grow and learn to love books and stories and reading," Ault said.
Ault said she doesn't have any solid plans for her retirement but is excited to be able to read during the day and get to the household things that have been neglected, as they do "when a person works for so many years and loves what they do.
"Who knows what the next chapter will be? We're going to turn the page and see what happens," Ault said.
The library will host a public farewell event, "The Last Story Time: Miss Kris Shares Her Favorite Stories for All Ages" on Saturday, March 29 at 1 p.m. According to Holland, the youth services team also started a "card shower" for Ault and is collecting notes and cards in a box on the library's first floor.
"Miss Kris is an icon in our community, and the library could have had no better ambassador," Holland said. "She's told stories to multiple generations of Monroe's children - sharing her gift, her passion, and her enthusiasm ... The book may be closing on her time here, but her legacy will endure."
"Where's Miss Kris? Is Miss Kris still here? Oh, can you go get her?" they ask Library Director Suzanne Holland.
"She's like a rock star," Holland said.
As youth services coordinator at the Monroe library for more than 22 years, Ault achieved her rock-star status through storytelling, which she does both at the library and at outreach events in the community. For the outreach events, she travels to places such as Rainbow Child Care and reads stories to the kids.
"We have so many children in the community now who can't come to the library on a regular basis," Ault said. "Parents are working, households are under a lot of stress financially, so when I can go out to preschools and to the daycare centers, that's my favorite part because I bring the library to kids who otherwise might not know about it."
Rainbow's administrator Kristine Hartwig said Ault is "an absolutely wonderful lady," emphasizing her rapport with children.
"She's infectious," Hartwig said. "She's very bubbly. She gets you involved. She's upbeat. She just is very easy, easy to work with. The kids love her."
Unfortunately for the children and parents who love her programs, Ault is retiring in April and will be out of the library for most of March.
"She'll be sadly missed by the children," Hartwig said. "She's been a wonderful asset to our program."
Holland echoed that sentiment. "It's a tremendous personal loss for the library because we've all enjoyed working with her so much and it's going to be hard for someone to follow her," she said. "But it's also an opportunity to bring some additional ideas and Kris is the first one to say that."
Holland noted how much she's learned from Ault in the three and a half years since Holland started at the Monroe library.
"The amount of knowledge that she brings to the table is incredible," Holland said. "All her years of experience come to the forefront and her knowledge of children's literature and early child development are just incredible."
Ault spoke fondly about her past work, becoming particularly animated when describing the puppet shows she put on for about 10 years. She described the skills she would teach the puppeteers, her tone instructive as if she were with the children.
"Children are so easily transported in that magical world of puppetry that it was - it was great fun to see their responses and the responses of their parents and caregivers as well," Ault said. "I think everyone enjoyed those years."
She started at the Monroe Public Library around 1992, helping children from multiple generations develop an appreciation for books. Some of her earliest "storytime friends" return to the library with their own children.
"They still remember me and I hope that that helps cement that connection that the library is a good place to be with people that are easy to be around and just a wonderful source of good information and good fun," Ault said. "We have a wonderful team here."
Ault stressed the library as a resource and a place for kids to develop. She encourages parents to stop at the library to learn how to engage their kids in early literacy skills - "things children need to know before they even begin to learn to read.
"Parents are so important in the lives of their child and it doesn't - it isn't hard, and it can be a lot of fun to help your little ones grow and learn to love books and stories and reading," Ault said.
Ault said she doesn't have any solid plans for her retirement but is excited to be able to read during the day and get to the household things that have been neglected, as they do "when a person works for so many years and loves what they do.
"Who knows what the next chapter will be? We're going to turn the page and see what happens," Ault said.
The library will host a public farewell event, "The Last Story Time: Miss Kris Shares Her Favorite Stories for All Ages" on Saturday, March 29 at 1 p.m. According to Holland, the youth services team also started a "card shower" for Ault and is collecting notes and cards in a box on the library's first floor.
"Miss Kris is an icon in our community, and the library could have had no better ambassador," Holland said. "She's told stories to multiple generations of Monroe's children - sharing her gift, her passion, and her enthusiasm ... The book may be closing on her time here, but her legacy will endure."