To the Editor:

The Elizabeth Taber Library wrapped up this summer’s program for children, “Book an Adventure”, with an end of the summer ice cream sundae social.

Over the course of six weeks, many children ages 2 to 12 enjoyed story times, reading games, a bubble show, as well as crafts such as, bicycle decorating for the 4th of July parade, fairy house building, tie-dying T-shirts with sharpies, building gnome catapults, constructing mini-robot bugs and faux lava lamps, along with various drop-in activities. Attendance for the summer programs totaled 3,005. It was especially exciting to “Read for a Good Cause”. Each hour participants spent reading raised $1 to support the work of Heifer International. Our readers were able to purchase a goat and a heifer for families living in third world countries with the help of donations from Eastern Bank and the Sippican Woman’s Club.

I would like to thank all of the participants (and parents, grandparents, babysitters and nannies!) involved in our program, along with our junior volunteers: Taylor Read, Nellie Zygiel, Makayla Randall, Colin Carroll, Nicholas Gouveia, Maeve Egger, Hannah Borges, Grace Russell, Alyssa Fornaro, Alexa McLeod, Mackenzie Luong, Katelyn Luong, Alexander Nauyen, Kathleen Dunn, Grace Ward, May Caron, Zachary Pateakos and Emma Welter.

Special thanks go to Dot Brown for her expert assistance with the science activities and with the fairy houses.

Many thanks go to Jessica Barrett, Sippican School’s media specialist. Jess and I worked together to create the school’s summer reading lists. Sippican School students visited our library in June to learn about the public library’s resources, the summer program and the books on the summer reading list.

Thanks go to everyone on the staff: Nicole Davignon, Rachel Breen, Anthea Andrade, Melanie Terrill and Kylie Hayden. They cheerfully helped out with the large groups of children and a seemingly endless flow of books.

Many thanks go to our enthusiastic Library Director, Libby O’Neill, who gave the program unfailing support and encouragement.

Several agencies and businesses in town lent their kind support to the library’s summer reading program. They include Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, Sippican Woman’s Club, Sea Dips Ice Cream and Uncle Jon’s Coffee.

Working with the children and their families in the community, as well as my colleagues here at the library, was a powerful reminder of the joy and excitement of sharing the love of reading. I hope everyone enjoyed the library’s summer program and the delights of summer reading as much as I did!

Rosemary Grey

Children’s Librarian

Elizabeth Taber Library