Library Happenings by Julie Jarman

We have made it to the last month of summer! I love this time of year because it is a reminder to hurry up and get everything that is summer related in before the seasons change again in September. If you want to bike ride, kayak, play ball, or go swimming, now is the time to do it.

It is also known as the dog days of summer, so if you need a good book, an action packed movie or audio book to curl up with on a very hot summer day, the library is the place. Many people like to read a nice paperback book next to the pool. The library has them too. We also have the Free Little Library outside the Pearl Street entrance and the free little library cart in the front hallway on Main Street.

August is also known as the month the staff normally celebrates the library’s birthday with a party on the lawn before school opens again. In case you didn’t know, the Staunton Public Library is celebrating its 110th birthday this year. It was created over a hundred years ago with the first official library board meeting on December, 18, 1913. Before becoming a library, it was a reading room beginning in the spring of 1897. There is quite a bit of history the past 110 plus years. We are very glad to still be here in service to the community after all that time has passed.

This year to change things up, the Staunton library is celebrating our birthday at Water Tower Park on W. Sixth Street to showcase our new permanent story book walk. Party in the Park will be held on Thursday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., weather permitting. It is open to all the children of Staunton. The MAC Art Bus will be there, too.

Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton is the featured story in the Story Book Walk.

The library will have ice cold bottled water for all while supplies last.

The library is a perfect place to enjoy the very hot afternoons with plenty of books and movies to choose from, audio books, newspapers, and patron computers in the nice cool air conditioning.

Our game shelves have now received a much needed upgrade thanks to a wonderful donation from a beloved library patron. Magna tiles, Keva Contraptions Reactions building game, Imagination Magnets, Brain Builders, Magical Mermaid floor puzzle, and brand new board games like Qwirkle, Where’s Bear, Dinosaur Escape, Count your Chickens and Seek A Boo at the Zoo are all here for everyone to enjoy. They can be found in the main library in the game cabinets. If you cannot find them, just ask at the desk.

Our reading kits are also here and can be found in the carts next to the circulation desk. A book, a game or coloring page and sometimes a toy that relates to the story can be found in each tub. For example, in the Monkey tub, the book Grumpy Monkeys, a picture of different monkeys and a barrel full of monkeys game can be found there. These reading kits are just like our games, they are meant for fun but for library use only. They cannot be checked out. Come inside and enjoy them for a while as we wait for the temperatures to decrease.

Check out our facebook page, email us at [email protected] or give us a call at 618-635-3852. See you one day soon at the library.