Meet Cheryl!
Cheryl has been a patron of the Clendenin Branch for 28 years, since she moved to the area in 1996. "For me, it's a place of wonder." An avid reader and book lover, she has spent a lot of time there over the years--at the Cardinal Street location before the 2016 flood, where she took her kids to hang out and work on the computers, to its current location in the basement of Clendenin Middle School, where she tries to go once every couple of weeks, depending on how fast she reads (and how icy her driveway is). "I remember one time I left my house in the middle of a blizzard" on foot... That's how committed she was to getting to the library! (February 2024)
Meet Wendy!
Wendy has brought her grandchildren to the Dunbar "Funbar" Branch Library regularly for the past six years. I had the chance to sit down with her and her granddaughter at a recent Family STEM Night, where Children's Specialist Shannon Hughes challenged us all to engineer marble runs out of paper plates and cardboard tubes. Dunbar residents, Wendy and her grandkids enjoy the variety of programs at their hometown library (from game nights and sewing classes to painting nights and I-SPY activities) and the positive environment the great staff at Dunbar create. "It gives me the opportunity to bring my grandkids and develop their love of reading," Wendy told me, and they also enjoy being able to check out not just books, but PlayStation games and Read Alongs as well. Wendy's family are just some of the All-Stars that make Dunbar Branch an amazing place to be. (March 2024)
Meet the women of Sissonville Branch's Golden Years Bingo Group!
Some are newcomers. Most are bi-monthly regulars over the past year, since Branch Manager Cathy Mason re-started the group after the COVID-19 pandemic, and yet a few have been showing up since way before that! I had the chance to join them this past Valentine's day, and over Anita's blackberry cobbler (made with berries she hand-picked at Four Seasons Farm), we folded and stapled strips of paper together into heart-shaped hanging wreaths at our own pace, talking on everything from car trouble to enlarging old photographs at Walgreens, with plenty of sass and laughter thrown in.
Between the craft and launching into bingo rounds, they shared that Sissonville Branch is "a relaxing and fun place to be," whose staff "put a lot of thought into what they do." They appreciate the fun activities for seniors in the afternoons, which they can fit into their schedules between other meetings and doctor's appointments.
I was tickled to win a round, but one lucky lady by the name of Jean came up bingo twice! As she picked through fun donated items on the table again, 94-year-old Ruby exclaimed, "You've done bingo'ed enough!" When Lady Luck came up bingo a third time, Ruby wagged her finger at her in jest. Imagine everyone's shock when Jean came up bingo a fourth time! Amongst the joking and laughter, they told me that while the Branch also means quite a lot to their kids, the take-home craft kits, friendliness of the staff, and fellowship of their peers creates an environment unlike any other. Like Marilyn says, "Everybody greets you here with a smile." (April 2024)
Meet the Asburys!
Jessica has brought her family to the St. Albans Branch consistently for the past 1.5-2 years, when she started homeschooling her children. I had the chance to chat with them in the Branch's lovely Children's Floor meeting room on a bright midday in late April. Her tween-aged niece and teen-aged sons talked about how much they enjoy the atmosphere, the open environment, the company of other patrons, and especially the super welcoming and friendly nature of the staff. One of the sons shared that it's "a peaceful place to relax and breathe" that's quiet, comfortable, and feels safe, almost like home, which they discussed a lot as a group. The comfort of home is one thing, but feeling comfortable while also in a public space is rare, and is something the St. Albans Branch staff actively work to cultivate and maintain.
All three find the library to be a place where they can focus on getting schoolwork done, use the computers, and check out books, movies, or video games as a reward, as well as play with building blocks and work the scavenger hunts with friends. The teenagers have been volunteering with the library and look forward to participating in the VolunTEEN program this summer. The youngest shared that, along with the home spaces she shares with her relatives, "it feels like I have four homes now." (May 2024)
What does the library mean to you?
At the turn of every cycle - a year, a month, a moment - you can release what no longer serves you and bring in something new.
Let your local public library be a warm place to rest your weary feet or learn new skills. A place where you can be crafty or ask questions.
When you give to your local public library - with your kindness, time, or resources - you receive a wealth of free programming, materials, and information.
By walking in the door, volunteering with the Friends, or giving to our Annual Fund, you sustain our work and your well-being for many years.
Give. Receive. Sustain.
Text and photography by Jai Ravine (2024)