To the Editor:
We want to thank the many families, childcare providers, and summer visitors who came to Vineyard Haven Public Library and participated in our Summer Reading Program, “go green @ your library.”
In addition to enthusiastic participation in our story times and recycled crafts programs, youngsters enjoyed chess club, wii games, movies, and book clubs. Thanks to the Friends of the VHPL and the Anderson Foundation, we welcomed our special guests who dropped by to entertain, educate, and enlighten. We want to especially thank musicians Peter and Ellen Allard, Jeremy Berlin and Julie Austin; storyteller Diane Edgecomb; naturalist Gus Ben David; authors Becky Loescher and Matt DeBettencourt; science teachers Kathy Forrester and Bruce Riseborough; and story character Peter Rabbit. They all made this summer special.
At our library this summer, more than 300 youngsters signed up and kept logs of books they read. This included children who are pre-verbal through high school. They logged in more than 6,400 books. The enthusiastic youngsters were highly motivated by the love of reading and the exciting incentives offered by the library and by Vineyard Haven businesses. We want to especially thank Bob’s Pizza, Bunch of Grapes Book Store, Capawock Theater, Educomp, Island Music, Mocha Motts, Mosher Photo, Murdick’s Fudge, Riley’s Reads Book Store, M.V. Bagel Authority, M.V. Heart Boutique, VTA, and Waterside Market, which together donated a total of $1,800 worth of gift certificates. Thank you all for encouraging reading.
Keeping with our green theme this summer, we offered the opportunity to our youngsters to pass along an incentive and become an “animal advocate for Felix Neck.” The Friends of VHPL made a donation in those children’s names to preserve animals and their habitats here on our Island. We had 45 children who participated.
Lastly, thank you to our staff and volunteers, who help provide a welcoming place for youngsters at the Vineyard Haven Public Library.
Kathy Stinson
Children’s Librarian
Vineyard Haven Public Library
