Twas the night before… at the library
Posted on December 20, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Jane Baker
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the library
The patrons had left with all the books they could carry;
Computer screens were blank and turned off for the night,
The book drops emptied, ready for first light;
The library was silent, but if you were really still
Echos of storytime remained of each Jack and Jill;
After a summer filled with Ready, Set, Read,
They went off to school, ready to succeed.
But much more than books is the library’s claim;
We offer programs, meeting space, and even board games;
Plus an exhibit asking what it means to be human;
Legos, fandom, 3D printing, and a Pokémon gym;
Conversations about wildfires discussed a new normal;
Civility in an election year? Ha! More like paranormal;
Springtime brought Renew and more seed libraries;
Fall brought NaNoWriMo—50,000 words to become legendary;
Summer road construction made drivers lively and quick,
Not a one missed our second annual poetry picnic.
More rapid than eagles to the events they came,
So many to list, we recall some by name:
Now, Prime Time! Now, Minecraft! Now Hour of Code!
On STEM! On Egg-bots! On Snap Circuits and diodes!
To the top of the class! To the top of them all!
Programs at the library are really a ball!
The past year saw Moran Prairie’s 10th anniversary,
Cheney Library’s Día Day celebrated diversity;
Spokane Valley’s Thinking Money exhibit
Showed how to spend when our wallets prohibit.
North Spokane’s shred day is always a favorite,
At Airway Heights was displayed a local artist’s exhibit,
Medical Lake held classes on Dollars & Sense,
And financial literacy became a line of defense.
Otis Orchards and Argonne, our libraries near and far,
And Fairfield, too, they’re all above par.
The Friends of the Library district-wide book sale,
Showed that next to collaborating, all else pales.
Our community engagement plan is our map and guide.
The first year of three completed at this yuletide!
Lifelong learning and knowledge are our hallmarks.
Did you know there are 440 different species of sharks?
This little ditty, a fun poem about our library year,
Hopefully, puts a smile on your face with good cheer.
But we really do wish each one of you a holiday rite—
Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Tags: happy holidays, holiday cheer, Merry Christmas, yuletide
