Visitors to southern Morgan County’s new library are greeted with this bright message across its wall: “We are so glad to see you at the library!”
Starting last Saturday, the Greenwood School Community Center has opened its doors each weekend to their new library.
Housed in the former Greenwood Elementary building on Winchester Grade Road, the library will be open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Books are free to borrow. No library card is needed.
Library hours will include story time for children at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., along with an activity or craft to follow.
During the first story time at the library, more than 10 young children explored the bright room full of book-themed decorations, bins and shelves of books. There were coloring pages and crayons, a bean bag toss game and lots and lots of books.
Organizer Mary Ellen Largent said library volunteers will shift their activities and books to suit the age group of children who come on Saturdays.
On opening day, there were hundreds of children’s books out to be
Greenwood School Community Center library volunteer Linda Grubb leads story time on March 23. Julianna Shirley helps hold the book.
explored. They’re organized in colored bins by topic to grab young interests. There are volumes about dogs, bears, history, dinosaurs and just about everything else.
Chapter books for older readers are shelved on one wall. There are also puzzles and audio books on cassette tape out for borrowing, or there for a listen at the library.
Largent said volunteers will rotate books so children won’t see the same covers all the time. She said the South Morgan community has donated lots of books, a reading rug, money for supplies and their time to organize the spacious library for children.
“People have been very generous. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of volunteers,” she said.
A library for adult readers is taking shape in a room across the hall. Largent said volunteers are hoping parents will browse books there while their children pick books to take home.
“I had always thought we needed a library out here,” Largent said of the project.
Shelves of kids’ books are full of choices for young readers.
Greenwood Church took ownership of the former school building last July and turned it into a community center.
Largent said the library is a way to encourage young people to learn and read, and she hopes it has other effects, too.
“Fellowship – neighbors being together and meeting new neighbors,” she said. “Word of mouth is our best tool.”
“We really want to encourage children to read. We’ll read to them if they are too young or need help,” said Largent.
The library committee and volunteers include Largent, Beth Michael, Amy Rowland, Linda Grubb, Anna McClintock, Diane Clark, Swanee Shedd and Brenda Canoles.
For more information about the library, contact Mary Ellen Largent at 304-258-1538.
