NORWICH – Have you ever noticed how time flies when you’re busy and having fun?

Well, it is amazing how fast 2022 has flown by so far at Guernsey Memorial Library. Here’s an update on what’s been happening:

Building Project: The library has applied for grant funding to create a Young Adult Zone. Most of the mezzanine shelving will be removed and the area reconfigured with cozy seating, study areas, and gaming stations. Our hope is to provide a safe and inviting place for young adults and others to hang out and enjoy everything the library has to offer. We expect construction to begin some time during the winter of 2022-2023.

Children’s Programming: We just wrapped up a very busy Summer Reading Program. Norwich kids read books and won prizes, attended music, magic, and science programs, learned about robotics, and generally had a wonderful time. We continue to sponsor monthly craft programs, Lego Club, Graphic Novel Club (comics), and twice-weekly story hours. Kids are also welcome to come and hang out and play games on our computers, PS4, Xbox, and Oculus.

Adult Programming: One of our most popular programs this summer has been Gil Polk’s (gilpolkmusic@gmail.com) Improv class, which will pick up again in October. Gil is a wonderful human being and he creates a safe, fun, and welcoming environment for participants to get creative. While we’re on the topic of creativity, our craft classes are going strong with upcoming classes including a Socktopus, a Plastic Canvas Gnome, and a Candy Cane Wreath.

Hundreds of people attended Movies Under the Stars, our weekly Wednesday night movies in the library park that were held during July and August. Our next free movie series will be on the Scream Screen at the Chenango Arts Council’s Martin Kappel Theater at 27 West Main, where we’ll be featuring Son of Frankenstein (10/12), One Body Too Many (10/19), and The Wolf Man (10/26). The final book sale of the year will take place on November 18 – 20.

Community Involvement: A hearty thank you to the many members of the community who have helped the homeless folks who took refuge at the library and in the park this summer.

I’ve witnessed so many acts of kindness – people handing out meals, service providers coming out of their offices and meeting the needy on their own turf, people helping keep the park tidy, and homeless people helping each other and other community members.

As a county seat, where services tend to be concentrated, Norwich has had an increasingly visible homeless population over the past few years. While homelessness, poverty, addiction, and mental health issues are not comfortable topics, they are issues that the community can act on and work to improve, while recognizing that “there, but for the grace of God, go I.”

These issues will be on the agenda at the City of Norwich Joint Committees meeting on Tuesday, October 18, at 6:30 PM in the renovated train station at One Court Plaza off Hubbard Avenue, for those who would like to express concerns, learn about the problems, and hear how various agencies are addressing it. I will be there and hope to see many of you there as well.

–Connie Dalrymple, Director Guernsey Memorial Library