Story Time Band

In 2013, children’s librarian Michael Kwende, known to Berkeley youth as Mr. Michael, and retired librarian and guitarist Tim DeWolf, began offering musical story time programs at the Berkeley Public Library’s Claremont Branch Library. Their events soon became so popular with children and their caregivers that it outgrew the library’s programming space, requiring them to secure a larger venue to accommodate their audiences. That place became Berkeley’s Bateman Mall park, and soon after, musicians and library specialists Juan Castille and Donovan Russell joined the effort and the Story Time Band was born. The band has since performed at parks throughout the city, as well as at Freight & Salvage, where 100+ people attend their monthly events. Over the years they have also visited numerous elementary school classes and libraries in the Berkeley Unified School District.