By Janet Stoica

It didn’t take long before Webster’s Library Director Sondra Murphy showed her mettle and enthusiasm for her new position. In the year that Ms. Murphy has been the director, she has brought many new programs and activities to the town’s state-of-the-art facility. She has also brought forth a new addition to her family with the birth of her first child. Her joy when speaking about her new baby is delightful to hear.

“Our staff at the library is amazing,” said Ms. Murphy, “they keep our programs and services running smoothly for all of our patrons and they are to be commended. Our Board of Trustees also has an important role in the progress and administration of our library.”

Recently, the trustees reviewed one of the library’s previous programs entitled One Book One Community. The program invites book authors to the library to speak with its patrons. Rena Klebart of the Board of Trustees has been spearheading the library’s efforts with a devoted and dedicated group of volunteers, according to Director Murphy. After much consideration and through the generosity of the Janet Malser Foundation, the Webster Cultural Council, and the Friends of the Library, the decision was made to invite author Christina Baker Kline to discuss her book Orphan Train. Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 19. The program is free and open to the general public. The author is sure to bring her enthusiasm and charm to the evening’s book discussion.

LibraryThing.com’s novel commentary regarding Orphan Train states: “It’s interesting to learn that between 1854 and 1929 there were 250,000 orphans whose parents either could no longer take care of them or had died tragically, orphans who rode the train from New York to the Midwest to find families that either needed help on the farm, a mother’s helper, or sometimes a good home with a caring couple. Ms. Kline takes this kernel of information and nicely puts it into context with the story of one young girl, Vivian, and her experiences of a lifetime. Kline juxtaposes Vivian’s life with that of a current girl in foster care named Molly. When Molly needs to do community service to work off a theft, she is assigned the task of helping an elderly women clean out the contents of her attic, of her life. So begins the retelling of Vivian’s story and so begins the bond that forms between the two. It’s a well-crafted narrative and a satisfying read.” The author’s visit to the Kelly Library should be entertaining and informative and all are invited to the free program. “This is a part of our country’s history that not too many people know about,” said Ms. Murphy.

In addition to the re-launch of the One Book One Community series, Director Murphy has instituted weekly Monday – Thursday educational programs as follows: Maker Monday at 3:30 p.m. with Magic Scratch Art; Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. is Build Night with marble courses; Wednesday is Storytime at 10 a.m.; and soon to be announced for Thursdays is a STEM (STEAM) program. Also beginning soon will be a monthly family event to be held on Saturdays. Recently a February family event “Working with Dangerous Animals” was held with an enthusiastic and large family audience. On Saturday, March 26, the Chickens Around the World program will be coming to the library. A meet and greet with six different chicken breeds. Come and chick it out…..um, check it out, if you know what they mean! The Second Annual Lobby Chick Hatching will be held soon too. For 21 days eggs will be kept warm and cozy in the lobby incubators until they hatch. After staying at the library for a week after hatching, the baby chicks will go back to their farm to enjoy their new life. There were six hatches last year and Ms. Murphy will be live-streaming their worldly welcomes again this year on Facebook.

Yoga is still going strong through the end of March and has been so popular that a new program will commence in May. The public is always welcome to this no-charge offering. There are usually about 20 individuals in attendance. Patrons are encouraged to join the Gladys Kelly Library’s mailing list by phoning the library, visiting their website at www.gladyskellylibrary.org or checking out Facebook and Instagram. Come and visit your local library! You really don’t know what you’re missing!  Gladys E. Kelly Public Library, 2 Lake Street, Webster. Phone: (508) 949-3880. Hours: Mon/Tues/Thurs 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Wed 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Fri 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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Contact Janet:  [email protected]