Cherry Hill Sun

Author: atwiford

  • Carter head shot 10.06.2025

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  • National program promotes literacy in children

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Public Library. Sharon Clarke reads a story to 2025’s graduates from the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge.

    Libraries throughout the country serve those of all ages, operating as a resource to develop a love of reading in younger generations.

    One national program that seeks to create a habit of reading before children even enter elementary school is the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge, which the Cherry Hill Library participates in.

    Program graduates – or those who reach the goal – are celebrated with an annual pizza party in September of each year, marking the end of one year of the challenge before another begins.

    The program runs year round for children as young as infants up until 5 years of age, with parents signing up their children at the desk and receiving their first reading log, which features 100 books that can be colored in as the children read them. 

    Parents who wish to sign up their children for the challenge must have a library card and fill out a form with their child’s information.

    Once one log is completed, the children return it to the library and receive another, until 10 logs are completed.

    After the first 100 books are read, participants have a picture of their face taken and receive a paper worm that they are able to put on the board that tracks all of the readers participating in the challenge. 

    The photo of their face is placed on the worm to keep track of each individual’s progress throughout the program. 

    Abigail Twiford/ The Sun The current progress board for the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge.

    Sharon Clarke and Jacquie Daddato run the program for Cherry Hill’s participants. 

    “After the first 100, we take their picture, and their worm goes on the board… they can see their progress going up to 1,000 and then once they reach 1,000, they get an invitation to a pizza party, which Jacquie and I do to run together,” said Clarke.

    Once they reach 1,000 books, a larger picture is taken of each child and it goes up on the wall above the progress board until the party. 

    “They get that as one of their prizes for finishing their 1,000 books, [which is] their graduation photo,” said Daddato.

    At the party, which was held on Sept. 6 this year, the kids have stories read to them and Clarke gives a proclamation on the achievement, with each child receiving a button and a signed and laminated copy of the proclamation of their success.

    The party also gives the children the opportunity to enjoy cookies, music and a photo booth station. 

    Cherry Hill has participated in the program for a number of years, though the parties for graduates were not able to be run during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. They did a bigger party to celebrate those years.

    “… Everybody got celebrated that did that, once we were able to,” Daddato said. “It’s a good time. The kids really look forward to it. The parents are very, very happy and appreciative.”

    Though the program is national and does have a model for how it can be run, not every library does it the same way, with some libraries offering different rewards for reaching the goal.

    This year, Cherry Hill saw a total of 36 graduates with 27 coming out to attend the party. 

    Books that are read more than once can be logged multiple times and still count towards the total. 

    “If they read the same book 17 times, they check it off 17 times,” said Daddato.

    In addition to promoting early literacy, the program also serves as a way to help parents and children bond with one another.

    “Most people don’t even realize they’re doing it…,” Daddato points out, noting her friend reads her daughter five books a night.

  • National program promotes literacy in children

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Public Library. Sharon Clarke reads a story to 2025’s graduates from the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge.

    Libraries throughout the country serve those of all ages, operating as a resource to develop a love of reading in younger generations.

    One national program that seeks to create a habit of reading before children even enter elementary school is the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge, which the Cherry Hill Library participates in.

    Program graduates – or those who reach the goal – are celebrated with an annual pizza party in September of each year, marking the end of one year of the challenge before another begins.

    The program runs year round for children as young as infants up until 5 years of age, with parents signing up their children at the desk and receiving their first reading log, which features 100 books that can be colored in as the children read them. 

    Parents who wish to sign up their children for the challenge must have a library card and fill out a form with their child’s information.

    Once one log is completed, the children return it to the library and receive another, until 10 logs are completed.

    After the first 100 books are read, participants have a picture of their face taken and receive a paper worm that they are able to put on the board that tracks all of the readers participating in the challenge. 

    The photo of their face is placed on the worm to keep track of each individual’s progress throughout the program. 

    Abigail Twiford/ The Sun The current progress board for the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge.

    Sharon Clarke and Jacquie Daddato run the program for Cherry Hill’s participants. 

    “After the first 100, we take their picture, and their worm goes on the board… they can see their progress going up to 1,000 and then once they reach 1,000, they get an invitation to a pizza party, which Jacquie and I do to run together,” said Clarke.

    Once they reach 1,000 books, a larger picture is taken of each child and it goes up on the wall above the progress board until the party. 

    “They get that as one of their prizes for finishing their 1,000 books, [which is] their graduation photo,” said Daddato.

    At the party, which was held on Sept. 6 this year, the kids have stories read to them and Clarke gives a proclamation on the achievement, with each child receiving a button and a signed and laminated copy of the proclamation of their success.

    The party also gives the children the opportunity to enjoy cookies, music and a photo booth station. 

    Cherry Hill has participated in the program for a number of years, though the parties for graduates were not able to be run during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. They did a bigger party to celebrate those years.

    “… Everybody got celebrated that did that, once we were able to,” Daddato said. “It’s a good time. The kids really look forward to it. The parents are very, very happy and appreciative.”

    Though the program is national and does have a model for how it can be run, not every library does it the same way, with some libraries offering different rewards for reaching the goal.

    This year, Cherry Hill saw a total of 36 graduates with 27 coming out to attend the party. 

    Books that are read more than once can be logged multiple times and still count towards the total. 

    “If they read the same book 17 times, they check it off 17 times,” said Daddato.

    In addition to promoting early literacy, the program also serves as a way to help parents and children bond with one another.

    “Most people don’t even realize they’re doing it…,” Daddato points out, noting her friend reads her daughter five books a night.

  • ‘We have such a quality group’

    The Cherry Hill Public Library has seen a number of staff changes and promotions over the last several months, with major departments seeing new leadership following promotions.

    Tierney Miller, formerly the head of reference and adult services, took over as library director in mid-June of this year. She takes the many internal promotions and staff changes as a positive sign, with people moving from part-time to full-time roles or transitioning into leadership positions. 

    “… We have such a quality group of professionals here who really like working here, who care about the community that they work for and with, and want to continue their career here in Cherry Hill,” Miller said. “And we’re really lucky to have them.”

    Photos courtesy of Cherry Hill Public Library.
    Tierney Miller is the new director for the Cherry Hill Public Library.

    Miller said her transition has been wonderful with the support of all the staff and the Friends of the Library.

    Miller’s new role involves her getting out into the community, as well as helping out in various departments whenever needed. She is the face of the library.

    “As the director of such a large organization, it can be easy to pull back and get siloed away from the public,” she explains. “And I have no desire to do that. I’ve worked with the public for a really long time, and I think the best way to stay connected to the patrons and the staff is to continue to work in various departments, see what issues come up, see what people are happy about.”

    So far, the most challenging part has been getting used to being the leader of the organization that she’s worked in for so long.

    “I value so much in terms of working collaboratively and in a team-oriented way, with people figuring out the balance of how to keep the spirit of that going, while also recognizing that the buck stops with me,” Miller said.

    Her favorite part so far has been getting the opportunity to see and connect with more of the library staff.

    She hopes to increase the library’s mission to become more sustainable. In her previous role, she started a sustainability community.

    “Sustainability is really important to me,” Miller said, “and I feel like libraries are positioned really well to be exemplars of sustainability in the community… people reusing materials over and over again, rather than using and discarding them.”

    She also hopes to lead the library in developing more ways to build community at the library.

    “I think that a lot of people of all ages are struggling with isolation, loneliness, feelings of division, and the library can be a place for them to come to connect with others,” Miller said. “… to sit down with like-minded people, maybe get creative and find others that make them feel a little less alone.”

    Kelly Shesko took over as head of reference and adult services following Miller’s promotion to director.

    Kelly Shesko takes on leadership in reference and adult services. She is a Cherry Hill resident and has worked in the library for the adult services department for six years, having previously gained experience at six library systems across four states before deciding to stay in Cherry Hill.

    The role she is taking over involves coordinating all programming for adults at the library, handling scheduling, staffing and payment for performers and speakers, as well as figuring out what makes a good library program versus what may not.

    The role also involves all collections of print, audio, databases, periodicals and all other materials for adults throughout the library. 

    Jasmine Riel took over the role of supervisor of youth services following the retirement of previous supervisor Erica Moon.

    The youth services department is also under new leadership following the retirement of former supervisor Erica Moon.

    Jasmine Riel, a Cherry Hill native who graduated from Cherry Hill High School West in 2011, has taken over in the position, having worked at the library since 2015. She previously worked as the teen librarian in the department.

    The role involves Riel handling all programming for library patrons from infancy to 18 years of age, as well as outreach for school visits and youth oriented events around the community.

    Talie Meza is the new teen librarian.

    A new teen librarian, Talie Meza, recently began working in the department as well, coming to Cherry Hill from the Burlington County Library System where she worked as a Digital Learning Library associate.

  • ‘We have such a quality group’

    The Cherry Hill Public Library has seen a number of staff changes and promotions over the last several months, with major departments seeing new leadership following promotions.

    Tierney Miller, formerly the head of reference and adult services, took over as library director in mid-June of this year. She takes the many internal promotions and staff changes as a positive sign, with people moving from part-time to full-time roles or transitioning into leadership positions. 

    “… We have such a quality group of professionals here who really like working here, who care about the community that they work for and with, and want to continue their career here in Cherry Hill,” Miller said. “And we’re really lucky to have them.”

    Photos courtesy of Cherry Hill Public Library.
    Tierney Miller is the new director for the Cherry Hill Public Library.

    Miller said her transition has been wonderful with the support of all the staff and the Friends of the Library.

    Miller’s new role involves her getting out into the community, as well as helping out in various departments whenever needed. She is the face of the library.

    “As the director of such a large organization, it can be easy to pull back and get siloed away from the public,” she explains. “And I have no desire to do that. I’ve worked with the public for a really long time, and I think the best way to stay connected to the patrons and the staff is to continue to work in various departments, see what issues come up, see what people are happy about.”

    So far, the most challenging part has been getting used to being the leader of the organization that she’s worked in for so long.

    “I value so much in terms of working collaboratively and in a team-oriented way, with people figuring out the balance of how to keep the spirit of that going, while also recognizing that the buck stops with me,” Miller said.

    Her favorite part so far has been getting the opportunity to see and connect with more of the library staff.

    She hopes to increase the library’s mission to become more sustainable. In her previous role, she started a sustainability community.

    “Sustainability is really important to me,” Miller said, “and I feel like libraries are positioned really well to be exemplars of sustainability in the community… people reusing materials over and over again, rather than using and discarding them.”

    She also hopes to lead the library in developing more ways to build community at the library.

    “I think that a lot of people of all ages are struggling with isolation, loneliness, feelings of division, and the library can be a place for them to come to connect with others,” Miller said. “… to sit down with like-minded people, maybe get creative and find others that make them feel a little less alone.”

    Kelly Shesko took over as head of reference and adult services following Miller’s promotion to director.

    Kelly Shesko takes on leadership in reference and adult services. She is a Cherry Hill resident and has worked in the library for the adult services department for six years, having previously gained experience at six library systems across four states before deciding to stay in Cherry Hill.

    The role she is taking over involves coordinating all programming for adults at the library, handling scheduling, staffing and payment for performers and speakers, as well as figuring out what makes a good library program versus what may not.

    The role also involves all collections of print, audio, databases, periodicals and all other materials for adults throughout the library. 

    Jasmine Riel took over the role of supervisor of youth services following the retirement of previous supervisor Erica Moon.

    The youth services department is also under new leadership following the retirement of former supervisor Erica Moon.

    Jasmine Riel, a Cherry Hill native who graduated from Cherry Hill High School West in 2011, has taken over in the position, having worked at the library since 2015. She previously worked as the teen librarian in the department.

    The role involves Riel handling all programming for library patrons from infancy to 18 years of age, as well as outreach for school visits and youth oriented events around the community.

    Talie Meza is the new teen librarian.

    A new teen librarian, Talie Meza, recently began working in the department as well, coming to Cherry Hill from the Burlington County Library System where she worked as a Digital Learning Library associate.

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