From the Stacks: Ella Cademartori – Good-bye summer, and hello school!

Henry Walters, the owner of Monadnock Falconry and falconer Katrina Rosa came to Oak Park with Pitch the red-tailed hawk, Pete the great horned owl, and Mahood the Harris’s hawk for a program sponsored by Stephenson Memorial Library and the Greenfield Recreation Department. —COURTESY PHOTO

Henry Walters of Monadnock Falconry shows off a bird. COURTESY PHOTO

A child holds a bird during and event with Henry Walters and Katrina Rosa. —COURTESY PHOTO

By ELLA CADEMARTORI

For the Ledger-Transcript

Published: 09-23-2024 12:01 AM

Greenfield nh

This year has brought a lot of changes here at Stephenson Memorial Library in Greenfield.

In the beginning of the year, we lost our director, David Bridgewater, and I became the director in February. I’ve had a wonderful time learning my new role and learning about all of the patrons in Greenfield. My son, Julius, has enjoyed having free range of the library and is now chasing his siblings around at his grandmother’s. He’ll be back for future visits at some point, though.

Excitement granted

In June, the Stephenson Memorial Library learned that we were one of twelve Vermont and New Hampshire libraries selected for the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) Rural Library Grant! This grant benefits not only our library, but the Greenfield Elementary School as well. Stephenson Memorial Library will receive $2,000 of books from CLiF and a $300 programming mini grant, while the GES Library receives $500 in book from CLiF, two storyteller performances and new books for kids to choose and keep.

Thank you CLiF; we are so honored to have received this grant! These books, programs and mini-grant will be arriving and taking place from September through spring of 2025. Keep an eye on our Facebook and newsletter to see when the books arrive and when the programs will be held.

Speaking of Greenfield Elementary School, the library is eagerly looking forward to school visits this fall. We hope to have each class come to the library to read a book and learn where to find things when they visit. We are also looking forward to starting our Student and Senior reading program again in the fall. The first grade will visit Thursdays to listen to a story, read to seniors and check out books to read.

September Events

In September, we have some exciting events to look forward to. Due to unforeseen circumstances, our Welcome to Town event for new residents has been rescheduled. It will be Saturday, Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come by and shop the Friends of the Stephenson Memorial Library book sale and then browse the tables of local farms, businesses, churches and local resources, and get a library card. If you’re a Greenfield-based entity and would like to set up a table, please contact me at ellac@stephensonlibrary.org.

Updating our outside

Thanks to generous donations from the Debra J. Cilly Trust, we’ve been working hard on improving our exterior. We have plans for sugar maples, a new gazebo and many other exciting upgrades. We are thankful for Warren Aldrich’s hard work to help our gardens thrive this summer.

We’re also thankful for the hard work of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and their volunteers for their hard work in June to connect the library to the Emma Gipson Forest Trail. Look for the signs indicating the trail head and watch library social accounts for updates on the Story Walk being relocated to this wonderful trail.

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