Amber Hamel grew up in Birdsboro, graduated from Daniel Boone Area High School and volunteered at the Boone Area Library throughout her life.

Now, Hamel has been named the library's new youth program coordinator. She succeeds Sarah Terry, who left the library to take on a new position.

Hamel applied for the job in late December and was interviewed by a library board member and library director Mirielle Vasselli. "My mom comes to the library - she lives in Birdsboro - and saw the job posted and I applied," said Hamel. "I grew up in Birdsboro and in the library's youth program. I started in second grade and volunteered up until I graduated high school in 2012."

During the job search, story time and other children's programming were put on hold, but now the programs have resumed. Hamel held her first "Story Time with Miss Amber" on Jan. 15. Story time is held on Mondays and Wednesdays at Boone Area Library from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

"(Story time is) for (children of) any age, but it's geared to 2- to 5-year-olds," said Hamel. "We start off with our story time song and we read a story. Then, we do some type of movement to get their energy out so they can settle back down again. We read another story and do another song or movement. Then we have craft time and free time for the kids so they can socialize and get to know everybody."

In addition to story time, Hamel oversees Helping Hands Bingo, which is open to youngsters and senior citizens. Helping Hands Bingo takes place on Fridays at 10:15 a.m. Also offered for youths is Lego Club on Tuesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and Video and Board Game Club on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m.

"My goal right now is to offer stability and consistency from the groups and the clubs that we already have and to build a better friendship with the community," Hamel said, adding, "In the future, I would love to be able to get more teens back into the library like it was when I was a teenager. That would mean reaching out to the high school to see what we can do to get teens more involved."

Hamel, who is the mother of a 9-year-old and 4-year-old, said she enjoys working with children and has volunteered in the past at a kindergarten center.

She also runs her own business. She is an event planner for weddings and parties and does photography and florals as well. "I'm planning many events for kids now," she said.

The Boone Area Library is located at 129 N. Mill St., Birdsboro. For more information about library programming, visit http://www.facebook.com/boonearealibrary or www.berkslibraries.org/branch/boone.