Check out the fall programs for kids!

Join us on September 13 at 10:00 a.m. for the first Friday storyhour of the fall, and a celebration of the community of Litchfield’s first Welcoming Week!

by Beth Cronk

The Litchfield Library is getting a fresh new exterior this fall. You may have noticed that the stucco and trim need some work, and that sometimes the rain has been coming in near the newspaper reading area.

This project will involve replacing the stucco and roof. The stucco removal has already begun on the south and east sides of the building.

The entire project is expected to take about two months. The library will remain open throughout.

As of the time I’m writing this, the outdoor book drop that faces the parking lot is still accessible. At times when work is actively being done around or over the book drop, you may need to stay away from it for your safety. When that’s the case, please bring your returned items inside the building during open hours, or return them to the outdoor book drop in the evening or on a weekend when work has stopped. Please don’t set returned books outside, since they can be damaged by the weather or taken by someone else.  I will try to post updates on the library’s website and Facebook page when the book drop will be affected.

When work is being done on the front of the building, a covered walkway will be constructed temporarily so that the front door will remain safely accessible. If you ever need or prefer that library staff deliver your materials curbside, we are happy to do that. Just call from your vehicle with your library card number.

We ask for your patience with the noise and the mess during the project. A short time of inconvenience is worth it for getting these building issues fixed.

Library programs will continue as usual in September. Adult Book Club will hold its September meeting on Tuesday, September 10, at noon. If the weather is good, it will be held at Prairie Park, and if not, it will be in the library’s meeting room. Weekly storytimes will resume on Wednesday, September 11, and Friday, September 13, at 10:15 and 10:00, respectively. LEGO Night will be held on Tuesday, September 10, at 6:30 p.m., on the 2^nd Tuesday of the month as usual. The monthly teen program will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 14.

Kids’ Craft Club will become a monthly program this fall, with the first meeting on Tuesday, September 17, at 4:00 p.m. Mystery Book Club will hold its monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 18, at 7:00 p.m. Knitting Club will continue meeting on the 3^rd Thursday of the month this fall, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. The September meeting will be on the 19^th. Crocheters are welcome, too, as are people of all ages!

The monthly Adult Arts & Crafts program will be held on Thursday, September 26, at 6:30 p.m. This is the one regularly scheduled program that requires advance sign-up, since it is so popular and space is limited. We typically open registration two weeks before the program, although hopefully this will get earlier as this fall continues. Watch our website and Facebook page for the announcement of the craft and the beginning of sign-ups each month.

September is a time of new beginnings, almost like the start of the calendar year. Pick up a printed calendar of library events at the front desk, or check the library’s website for an online version of it, and make the library part of your fall routine.

Take a look at the beautiful resin bookmarks created this month by participants in our Adult Arts & Crafts program!

We are excited to announce that the exterior of the Litchfield Library will be getting a renovation this fall! The stucco work is planned to begin on Wednesday, August 28, and the roof work will begin around a week later. The project will wrap up in about 2 months.

The library will stay open during renovations. We appreciate your patience with the noise and the mess.

The project is beginning on the south side of the building, which will not affect access to the book drop or front door.

The library is taking a little break from story times as the summer wraps up. There will be no Wednesday or Friday story times now until September 11, when they will begin again weekly. Join us beginning Wednesday, September 11, at 10:15 a.m. for Baby/Toddler Story Time, and beginning Friday, September 13, at 10:00 a.m. for Preschool Storyhour.

by Miss Rachel
7/17/24

What are you likely to find in every toy box, diaper bag, children’s play area, and childhood bedroom? Stuffed animals! Now more commonly referred to as “stuffies,” these classic toys are great companions for kids of all ages. Like I mentioned in my last column, Bruce the bear is a very popular stuffie that kids enjoy seeking out in the children’s section. Stuffies are a fun component at the library!

We recently hosted a stuffie sleepover here at the library. If you’ve never heard of such an event, it’s probably what you are imagining. Kids bring in a stuffie of their choice on a Friday, and the stuffies stay overnight, getting into all kinds of crazy shenanigans. Look on our Facebook page or our website to see the pictures of the wild things the stuffed animals did: like play bingo, make music, play dodgeball, and read stories together before they went to sleep. The next day, the owners come back to the library to pick up their stuffies along with a packet of pictures and a certificate for participating in the stuffie sleepover.

But we also have quite the collection for our baby/toddler storytime on Wednesdays. While I initially had used a stuffed teddy bear in my lap to show how to do the lap bounces and songs with actions, the kids all decided to mirror me and put stuffies into their own laps. As long as the kids are having fun, we love using the stuffies at storytime!

In an article from the International Collegiate Journal of Science, studies have shown a number of benefits for kids who have their own stuffed animal companions. For example, stuffies can serve as transitional objects, providing comfort in unfamiliar or stressful situations. Stuffies can also aid children in developing and maintaining good sleep habits, as they provide physical and emotional comfort and support at bedtime. Logically, they can also help encourage kids to read – they serve as a captive audience. Stuffies aren’t just good for kids though. This article covers benefits of stuffed animals for adults as well, so you need not throw any of your cuddly companions out!

We also have a new picture book about a stuffed animal: “The Imposter” written by Laura Bower and illustrated by Kerisa Greene. In this story, a girl named Olive treasures her stuffie, Mr. Snuggles. When he goes missing one day, she is devastated. After many attempts to find and even recreate Mr. Snuggles, he miraculously reappears, and Olive rejoices! But when Olive sees that Mr. Snuggles has reappeared, she notices he’s not quite the same. Check out this book to see what happens next!

Stuffies, or stuffed animals, hold a special place in childhoods everywhere. Whether they’re participating in adventurous sleepovers at the library or joining toddlers in interactive storytimes, stuffies enrich lives with comfort, creativity, and companionship.

Lai, Vincent. “The Positives of Plushies: Stuffed Animals Have Benefits for Children and Adults – Icjs – International Collegiate Journal of Science.” ICJS, 21 Aug. 2021, icjs.us/the-positives-of-plushies-stuffed-animals-have-benefits-for-children-and-adults/.

The Litchfield Library Board and the Litchfield Library staff had a great time handing out kids’ books at this year’s Watercade parade! Thank you to the Friends of the Litchfield Library for the funding for most of it, and to the Litchfield Library Foundation for contributing!