Dear Lenox families and friends,
The actual increase to our warrant article that would be in compliance is less than 0.2% of the total proposed town budget. Voting in favor of the library appropriation does not jeopardize school funding in any way. Yet if library funding is denied, it most likely will severely reduce our outreach pre-literacy and youth services, as well as special youth events. Promoting literacy doesn’t end at our doorstep. We provide an average of twelve weekly visits to Lenox preschools and elementary schools. Such programming clearly generates an interest in libraries and books. It strengthens critical pre-reading skills and creates an awareness of the wide variety of reading materials that our library has available for diverse learners and learning styles. Weekly library outreach visits also foster a sheer love of reading.
Our special youth events provide opportunities for multi-generations to relax together rather than in front of a TV or computer. This past year, life-size dinosaurs, 1960’s rock-and-rollers, and Darth Vader visited our reading park. A show-and-tell symphony, puppet show, birds of prey program and even a miniature planetarium were enjoyed in our reading room. Young artists created rocket ships & Martian traveling buddies, and junior engineers participated in our third annual Lego Build-a-thon. Such special events draw reluctant and struggling readers into the library as well, where they are introduced to alternate reading materials such as recorded books, magazines and graphic novels. Book selection and homework support are always available to our young library users. The at-risk system-wide hold service offers an even wider selection to our youth and provides books for our two monthly mother-daughter book groups.
In 2009, Lenox Library Association summer reading participants logged in a combined total of 1,670 hours, a 30% increase from the 2008 summer program. The number of children attending our in-house programs increased by over 45% this past fiscal year. Clearly, our strong youth services are creating successful, life-long readers, which certainly seems worthy of an increase to 0.19% of the town’s budget.
Please join us at the town meeting on Thursday, May 6, 7:00 p.m., to propose and vote for an increase to the proposed library appropriation.
Sincerely,
Debby Cuthbert
Lenox Library Association Youth Services Director