Somers Library Has a Day of Its Own

SOMERS, N.Y. - Saturday was a perfect day to enjoy the first annual Library Day at Reis Park. Clear skies, low humidity, bright sunshine and moderate temperatures made for a festive mood. Several hundred people took advantage to enjoy the festivities.

"This is terrific," said Jim Hasl, Trustee and Treasurer of the Library. "When you're planning these things, you never know just how many will show up. I don't think we could be more pleased. The parking lot was full at 10 a.m. A lot of people are here for the first time."

Special events included a story walk, fire truck display and scavenger hunt for the kids, e-reader demonstrations, various kinds of music, dancing, raffles and lots of food supplied by the Lions Club. Desserts were available at the bake sale table.

Among the entertainers was a group of ninth graders, called Aim for the Shadow, who played classic rock tunes. "Most of this music was already forgotten before they were born," Hasl observed. There was some confusion about whether they were covering Led Zeppelin or Nirvana. Either way, it was fun to hear.

"When I was a kid," Hasl continued, "the library was all about listening and whispering. Nowadays the library is more than books, tapes and DVDs. It's a resource." As an example, he said, "Sometimes someone has lost a job for the first time. The librarian can show that person how to research jobs. It's a role librarians have never played before. It's like being a coach.

"The League of Women Voters was deeply involved with the Friends of the Library in setting up this day. We had a number of community and company sponsors, but those two groups deserve a considerable amount of credit for making it happen."

More than a dozen other civic organizations had tables set up on the lawn. Among them were the Somers Women's Club, the Boy Scouts, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Rotary Club, At Home in Somers, the Deans Bridge Pond Association, the Patty Cass Organization, the Somers Historical Society, and the Newcomers and Neighbors Clubs.

One of the rooms inside the hallowed halls of the library was practically overflowing with material for the book sale. Former Primrose School librarian, Jean Reidy said "They didn't want to have a book sale at first, but I said, 'I can help you out!'" Ms. Reidy is 92 and was running a highly successful sale.

The stars of the day, as always, were Sawyer and Romeo, the therapy dogs.

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