Chappaqua library celebrates!
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- December
- 11
The Chappaqua Library sends along word, through its neatly done newsletter, that it is celebrating its 30th year at its Greeley Avenue location. To say a “happy birthday” to the library, staff is planning a week long party 10 am to 1 pm Monday, Dec. 15 to Friday, Dec. 20.
Staff is planning refreshments, balloons and what is described as “general merriment.” Also, party goers are asked to bring in items for a local food bank, as their needs are especially urgent this year. Suggested donations are nonperishable (and non-expired) foods.
Also — and not incidentally — the library is acknowledging the long service of Carol Birch, head of children’s services, who is retiring this month. She has been at the library for 22 years and “has graciously shared her unique and special gift for storytelling with the Chappaqua community, and it has enriched us all,” reads the newsletter. She has run countless stories to children and has even made a video for the library about her favorite books for children.
She is a receipient of the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence award in 1998, and an adjunct professor in Storytelling at Southern Connecticut State University. She has received numerous awards for her efforts as recording artist and director as well as for the book she co-edited with Melissa Heckler, “Who Says? Essays on Pivotal Issues in Contemporary Storytelling” (August House).
She is a popular librarian, and one with her own Web page, that highlights a long career dedicated to the love of books and sharing them with children. She wrote an especially heart-warming review of a book about Lou Gehrig’s disease that you can read with this link. “Lou Gehrig’s career is bigger than his stats. His spirit is more significant than the disease which destroyed him. His story is more than a baseball story. Yet it brings to life an extraordinary time in baseball history,” she wrote. I was swept away with the personal touch she gave to telling his story — and totally charmed by a photograph of her as a child swinging a baseball bat.
The Chappaqua library is hosting an open house in Birch’s honor from 4 to 7:30 pm Dec. 18 . It will be held in the children’s program room, naturally.
The Chappaqua Library is at 195 South Greeley Ave.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, December 11th, 2008 at 6:34 pm by Barbara Nackman.
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