By Dawn De Busk

According to Windham Public Library librarian Ines Gruber, they saw it coming on the horizon. Between the summer months and the rain, the book-lending business had never been brisker.

On Monday, June 22, the Windham library experienced a flurry of activity with a record-breaking circulation number for the day: Slightly more than 1,000 items were checked out from both the adult and children sections. That Monday fell on the first full week that children were out of school for the summer.

“We could see this coming and were prepared. We had a Borders gift certificate ready to present the person who checked out that 1,000th item,” said Gruber, adding the prize went to Windham resident Larry Clements.

Gruber said all records were broken in the month of June as the library checked out a total of 12,240 items.

“The driving force behind this is the economy, as public libraries get busier in bad economic times. June had the additional feature of bad weather prompting people to use the library,” said Gruber. “Summer is our busiest season with out-of-towners and summer residents using the library as well as our regular patrons.”
If – and when – the rain subsides, there are still plenty of activities at the region’s libraries throughout the summer.

Right now, during the week before the Fourth of July, it’s pretty quiet at the Gray Public Library. But, every Friday starting on July 10, the children’s area will be welcomed with noise from musical instruments and other activities that will be part of the library’s Summer Reading Program, “Be Creative at Your Library.”

According to children’s librarian Kathy George, children participating in the summertime program can learn to make simple musical instruments, engage in puppet making, create some colorful collages, and be entertained by someone who plays the guitar and writes songs. One volunteer will teach children some sign language, she said.

The weekly activities start at 10 a.m. on Fridays at the library, and the summer reading program will run through the first or second week in August, George said, adding she hadn’t planned the final get-together yet.

Her goal is to get young residents to keep reading during the summer, and to offer a program that they can attend when they want – as well as keeping a child’s choice of books in his or her hands. Teens can select from a variety of genres and head to

their favorites, rather than reading books required by a teacher during the school year.

“It is summer,” she said. “As adults, we all need to read for our occupations. Usually, you have your pile of books that are your summer reading books: Books for the beach, books for entertainment. And, that’s how it should done with kids.”

“We don’t want it to be another class. We won’t take roll call. They can read anything they want. And, any reading counts. You can have your mom or dad read a book to you. You can be 10-years old, and you can read to your 3-year-old brother. That counts,” George said.

At the Windham Public Library, the Summer Reading Program – which started June 1 – is already in full swing.

On Wednesday, July 1, more than 80 children joined parents and care providers for a presentation from Windham resident David Sparks, who operates an animal rehabilitation facility called Sparks’ Ark. Two owls, a tiny snapping turtle, a bird that sits on people’s heads or shoulders, a skunk that had its stinky spray glands removed, and a boa constrictor wowed the children. 

A few days after that record-breaking day in Windham, Mitchell Brammer, 8, was at the library with his father quickly making their selection of books before jetting off for sports practice.

Brammer, who will be in third grade this fall, said he goes through about 10 books a week. He takes his time with some chapter books like the Harry Potter and the Animorphs series, reading them more slowly over the course of a month to five weeks, he said. “I like lots of action, and sometimes, magic.” But, while he’s savoring the novels, he always reads a few shorter books, too. On occasion, he reads to his younger sister.

“Like today before we came to the library, my dad was reading one of the books we were going to return. My dad had to answer the phone, and I took over, and I finished reading the book to my sister. Her name is Amber. She’s 6,” Brammer said.

Brammer recalls attending the icecream social at the end of last year’s summer reading program, and he thought it wouldn’t be too hard to participate this summer since he’s already a regular patron at the library.
Reading during summer vacation is something children’s librarian Laurel Parker advocates. Studies indicate that students lose reading level skills they’ve acquired during classroom time if they don’t read during the summer, Parker said.