It's not over 'til it's over

Neill Public Library’s Summer Reading Programs is drawing to a close. A program of this magnitude takes the collective efforts of many to make it successful. Fortunately for our community, we had just that. Thanks to Sheri Miller from Whitman County Library for including us in her marketing grant from Northwest Broadcasting for Summer Reading promotion on behalf of Whitman, Latah and Neill Friends of the Libraries groups. Thanks to Mayor Johnson and City of Pullman police officers and firefighters for taking time out of their days to be our celebrity guest readers. Children had a special opportunity one morning, courtesy of the police department, to sit in a real police car. My hat is off to the dedicated officers for patiently helping each child climb in and out of the patrol car as temperatures soared into the 90s that day! Thanks to our special performers, many of whom were so entertaining that Youth Services Librarian, Kathleen Ahern has already received requests from families asking her to consider bringing these professionals back again next year! And, thanks to the 40 teen R.A.D.I.C.A.L. volunteers who donated a whopping 311 hours of their time to help facilitate this year’s program!

At the center of this phenomenal literacy event was Kathleen Ahern and her Youth Services Assistant, Ruthie Fisher. I am extremely appreciative of their tireless work and creative efforts on behalf of our community’s youth. I’d also like to thank the rest of our library staff and the City of Pullman Government Buildings and Parks and Recreation departments for their collaborative efforts. Thanks also to the local merchants who were so generous with their donations of fabulous door prizes. And last but not least, I’d like to extend a heart-felt “thank you” to Friends of the Neill Public Library for their role in making this community program such a success.

Preliminary statistics indicate participation at this year’s program is the highest yet to date. That means more of you signed up to read, more of you attended our programs, more of you received free ice cream at the Victor Johnson finale in Reaney Park and more of you completed your reading goals and collected those fabulous free books! If you participated in any of these activities, let me share something with you. The Friends of Neill Public Library provided the majority of the funding that made these opportunities possible.

If you’ve thought about joining the Friends but have not yet found the time, I’ve got great news. It’s not too late. To celebrate this year’s Lentil Festival, the Friends will sponsor a table at both Friday and Saturday events. New members will receive an eco-friendly library tote bag and themed literacy baskets for all ages will be raffled off. Thanks to financial support from membership dues, special gifts and bequests, the Friends are able to provide funding for special library events – like our Summer Reading Program.

So, to all those collaborators and contributors who made this year’s event so successful – thank you! Your time and talents are much appreciated. The special programs are over, but readers still have until the end of August to turn in their reading logs. And the long-awaited drawing for an ipod shuffle will be held on August 13. So keep reading those books and enjoying your library! Things may be winding down, but as they say….it’s not over 'til it’s over!

by Joanna Bailey

Temporary Library Services Manager

published in Moscow-Pullman Daily News 8-14-10