July 2023
Summer is upon us. Young Adult author Sarah Dessin describes July as the “juicy middle” of summer. And what a summer it has been so far. Summer Reading has been a great success, with 180 adults, 230 children, and 40 teens signing up.
This month we celebrate the great gift of America’s freedom. We’ve spent nearly 250 years, striving to live up to our bold, guiding philosophy “…that all are created equal…that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…” And when we failed to live up to our ideals? We worked to be self-correcting.
This summer, you might read the works of historians like Eric Foner, Jon Meacham, David McCullough, or Doris Kearns Goodwin. All these authors capture a variety of eras in our nation’s history. Or if you prefer fiction there may be children’s, young adult, or adult historical fiction that can teach you something. Before I went on several vacations, I read an appropriate James A. Michener tome to learn about my destination’s history. If you cannot find the books on our shelves, find them through the CLEVNET catalog.
Make certain you look at our calendar of events. We’ve got some great programs and wonderful events to conclude our Summer Reading Program. We will again have bounce houses for the children’s party, a teen pizza party, and the very popular Adult celebration at the Stable Winery (You must reserve your tickets for the winery party by July 7th).
Summer can be a great time to play, laugh, and renew our enthusiasm for life. In the play The Time of Your Life William Saroyan wrote:
“…Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding place and let it be free and unashamed…In the time of your life, live—so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.”
Here’s hoping that you can find lots of goodness and delight this summer and that you can bring some sunshine into your corner of the world. As always, thanks for your on-going support of the Andover Public Library.
Sincerely,
Nancy Logan, Director