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01/30/2019 08:03 AMWithin the pages of books there lies a whole other world, and in an effort to foster that love for the written word, as well as the local community, the Chester, Deep River, and Essex libraries are participating in the annual Take Your Child to the Library Day, on Saturday, Feb. 2 or Sunday, Feb. 3.
The program started eight years ago as an international initiative launched by Connecticut librarians Nadine Lipman of the Waterford Public Library and Caitlin Augusta of the Stratford Library, along with artist Nancy Elizabeth Wallace of Branford. The idea was to raise community awareness about the importance of the local library in the life of a child.
In keeping with that cause, each local town library has different activities planned.
In Chester, the Feb. 2 event will include a drop-in art project, making a one-of-a-kind valentine for kids of all ages, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and a sweetheart candy guessing jar contest.
“This annual event is a great way to encourage family participation at the library,” said Chester Library Director Stephanie Romano. “This day is also a great time to bring the children in to get their first library card. They are always so excited about that and we love seeing them pick out their first book. Its an important time for them.”
At the Deep River Library, a four-legged furry book lover will be on hand Feb. 2 to celebrate the special day; her name is Regan, the therapy dog. Regan has made previous appearances at the library and is always a big hit with the kids, said Children’s Librarian Elaine Alexander.
“We love having Regan come in. The kids love her, she enjoys being here, and we thought it would be a perfect fit for the Take Your Child to the Library Day,” said Alexander. “Getting kids to the library any way we can is so important, especially for the pre-readers. It gets them sitting and sharing with one another and having that experience at the library; during their formative years, [this] really sticks with them over the long haul, teaching them that the library is a fun, exciting, safe place to get involved and learn.”
Regan will arrive at the library for some reading time at 10:30 a.m. as part of a drop-in program. There will be a story time, and time to interact with Regan.
Over at the Essex Library on Feb. 2, there will be a specialized scavenger hunt through the book aisles; interactive STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) programs planned; explore, play, and create stations set up; teen room events; and a book sale for everyone. The programs will be ongoing from 10 a.m. to noon.
In addition, Children’s Librarian Jessica Branciforte said this is a great time for kids aged five or older to sign up for their very first library card.
“We have all kinds of special things planned,” said Branciforte. “This is always a great day and we do as much as we can to draw in everyone, especially those who may not have been to visit our library yet.”
She added, “We offer so many different programs throughout the year, including specials for home-schooled families, teen groups, story hours, children’s programs, movies, downloadable e-books, and more. The library is a great place, not just to get books, but to get in touch with the community, explore, and learn. That’s the message we really want to get out there.”
In Ivoryton, at the Ivoryton Library, Take Your Child to the Library Day will be celebrated on Sunday, Feb. 3, with a story time at 1:30 p.m., crafts for all ages, and a childrens’ book sale.
For more information about any of these programs, visit chesterct.org/library, deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com,www.youressexlibrary.org, or ivorytonlibrary.org.