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By James Ensor
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Young new readers gathered at the Needham Free Public Library on Friday, July 29. Take a right at the entrance of the building and find the Community Room at the end of the hall. The room plays host to weekly films to encourage children to get in the library and work on their summer reading.
“Air Bud” was the film screening on this occasion - the entire summer features sports-themed flicks. The film focuses on Buddy, an adorable golden retriever with a nose for hoops, who helps teach a young boy who has recently lost his father about the value of teamwork, the importance of family and the quality of perseverance.
“This year, the reading club involves all the schools in town,” says Gay Ellen Dennett, who is Reference and Programs Specialist at the library. “And if you don’t go to school here in Needham, there is a special team for you led by the head librarian for the children’s department.”
Competing in the library league are teams of students from every elementary school in Needham, as well as the team for those from outside the town. Prizes will be given out in September - gold for the school with the highest percentage of students who complete the Summer Reading Program, silver for the school with most hours read, and bronze for the school with the most students registered.
August will see the library screen “Space Jam” on Friday, August 5 and “Turbo” on Friday, August 26. Dennett and the other librarians are hoping to see more and more kids show up to the events as the summer goes on, and want the community to know that there are multiple other events left in the summer besides the film series.
Boston Hoop Troop will be in town on August 6. The group teaches classes, performs and hosts [hula] hoop jams throughout the Boston area. Steve Roslonek of SteveSongs, who has written and performed children’s music for fifteen years, will be at the library on August 8. Finally, Todd Brodeur’s World Class Frisbee show will be at the Needham Free Public Library on August 16.
“Come and join us!” says Dennett, excited by the success of the Summer Reading Program.
