The Sundre Municipal Library has become ó and remains ó a central pillar of the community, council heard last week.
"We have lots of reasons to celebrate at the library," said manager Jamie Syer on Aug. 28 during a presentation to municipal officials at the first meeting following the summer break.
Recapping some highlights of the summer, he said the reading club, under the direction of Katie Jo Jackson, brought out an average of 15 to 25 children to the library every day. Youths enjoyed a variety of activities including presentations from special guests such as the RCMP and the Sundre Fire Department, as well as crafts, stories and field trips to places like the local museum.
"They had a fabulous time and it really kept the library hopping in the summer, which is what we like to see."
The summer adult reading challenge also got a good response, and the library's manager said he was thrilled about the level of support received from patrons as well as a wide variety of local businesses and organizations.
Additionally, the monthly Arts Recreation and Culture passes that were started earlier this summer will continue to be available in the fall, he said.
"We're the only library in Parkland (Regional Library) to be doing this, and one of the few libraries in Alberta."
On the first Friday of every month, cardholders may collect a free pass, ticket, or membership from one of the donations made available to the local library, he said, adding these offers have to date included passes to the Sundre Pro Rodeo, Bulls and Wagons, memberships at the museum and tickets to events at the Sundre Arts Centre.
"People are just now catching on to this because people are not used to getting things for free," he said.
"What we want to do is get more people aware of some of the amazing things that are going on in our community, not just in the library."
The only requirement is to have a library membership card, which is free to sign up for anyway, he said, adding September is also library card sign-up month.
Grade 5 students are all given a card, while those in Grade 6 are granted amnesty from any lost or overdue items from the previous year, he said.
"We would much rather have kids in the library who occasionally bring books back late, or that lose books, and say, ëThat's OK, let's start over from scratch!' than not have them come in at all."
The library manager also requested that council consider proclaiming October as Library Month, which in turn would help the facility promote upcoming events such as the return of the human library, he said.
Coun. Myron Thompson, who extended congratulations to the manager and his staff for their efforts in establishing excellent programs, motioned to declare October Library Month, which was carried by council unanimously.
Visit sundre.prl.ab.ca to stay up to speed with upcoming library activities and events.
