Last week, we wrote about a free book program offered by The Community Foundation and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. We are very fortunate to have a branch of the Massanutten Regional Library–the North River Library–right here in Bridgewater. The North River Library has shared a summary of some of the programs that they offer to the Bridgewater community:
- The North River Library continues to make story time, reading time spent with our youngest patrons, a priority even during the height of the COVID pandemic. To mitigate exposure and in conjunction with the Town, the library had story time outside at Oakdale Park. In addition to that space, the Town allowed us the use of Generations Park. This enabled outside story time to continue, even if it was raining.
- The library sponsored a “Look at the Night Sky” with the help of the Valley Stargazers. The Stargazers gave us knowledge and brought their large telescopes to see the planets that were visible at that time. The library also purchased many books about space that our patrons could take home with them. In addition to the books, each participant received a space snack such at Star Crunch or a Cosmic Brownie.
- Finally, the library has expanded their butterfly garden, located in the library’s backyard. The library planted host plants, to attract Monarch Butterflies, in the main garden, along with plants that attract swallowtails in the extended flower beds. Each month from June through October, the library provided Saturday STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities for those that participated. The librarian also pulled books about butterflies for our patrons to check out. At the end of the program, each child could choose a book about butterflies to keep. Efforts are ongoing, as the library purchased a gazebo (thanks to the contributions from our patrons), along with commissioning a local woodworker to make a bench with the lifecycle of butterflies carved into it.
The North River Library prides itself in connecting books with real life events, and turning real life events into searching books to extend the knowledge of their patrons. We appreciate the North River Library and their efforts to expand learning and feed the curiosity of their patrons, both young and old!
The North River Library is located at 118 Mt. Crawford Avenue. For more information, please contact them at (540) 434-4475, Option 400 or visit their website.