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Leominster Public Library

Leominster Library wants reading ambassadors

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LEOMINSTER – The librarians at Leominster Public Library’s Dr. Martin T. Feldman Children’s Room are once again looking for “reading ambassadors” to work with students in grades kindergarten through second at Frances Drake Elementary School.

Volunteers will be reading with students who have been selected by their teachers and the Title 1 Reading Specialist as children who need a little extra help with their reading skills.

“Students who participated in last year’s program have already been asking if the volunteers will be returning,” said Sarah Chapdelaine, Head of Children’s Services at Leominster Public Library.

Volunteers work with students once a week, during the school year, at the school for approximately half an hour, and can volunteer with one or two students.

“We find the program is very rewarding for both students and volunteers alike,” said Chapdelaine. “The students get the extra help they need, supported by a caring adult, while reading books selected specifically for their interests. This helps build students’ reading confidence and skills and hopefully a love of reading too. Volunteers get the satisfaction knowing they are helping to meet a child’s educational needs in a way that is measurable and truly makes a difference.”

Volunteers do not need to have any previous experience.

“We are happy to help volunteers select books for the students they are working with,” said Chapdelaine.

For more information, or if interested in volunteering, please call Sarah Chapdelaine, at 978-534-7522, Ext. 3660 or visit the library’s website at leominsterlibrary.org.

Stratton Players launches 99th season Sept. 14

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LEOMINSTER – Stratton Players in collaboration with the Leominster Public Library launches its 99th season with a performance of “WCV: Radio For Your Eyes” on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. at the library on West Street.

The widely acclaimed mock-comedy radio show is in the spirit of “Prairie Home Companion” and “Nichols and May” but with twists including commercials, urgent news broadcasts, a table of sound effects, and songs and jingles.

The public is welcome to the free event being presented by the Fitchburg-based theater group.

“We wanted to begin our season by giving a free show to the community,” said Stratton Players Vice-Chair Nancy Lemont. “Stratton Players enjoys our multi-year collaboration with Leominster library and after last season’s successful staged reading of ‘Ice Glen,’ we thought theatre lovers would enjoy an original comedy.”

Area writers and Stratton Players members and actors Jeff Van Amburgh and Sally Cragin created “WCV,” which has been performed in numerous venues around New England since 2017.

“Both Jeff and I grew up listening to radio, every kind of show possible,” said Cragin, who wrote the production with Van Amburgh. “I remember staying up late with my ear pressed to a transistor radio listening to late night news on WBZ, the only signal that reached Lunenburg at that hour.”

“WCV” has been performed for standing room only audiences at venues including Slattery’s in Fitchburg and recent performances include benefits in North Central Massachusetts and at the Bacon Free Library in Natick.

“We have amused ourselves for years creating our version of both AM and FM radio staples,” Van Amburgh shared. “There are lots of commercials for fictional products and services, such as Bon-Opto which is ‘designed to protect the user from any responsibility as an adult’ and the Pepperoni Patch, which helps addicts reduce their craving for luncheon meat.”

Both Cragin and Van Amburgh utilize a variety of voices and props for this production, which older children and teens will also enjoy.

“We tell our audiences they can shut their eyes or turn their chairs around because this is a radio show – but they’ll miss half the fun,” Van Amburgh said.

Stratton Players thanks the Leominster Cultural Council for their support of the oldest community theatre in continuous operation. The group is currently raising funds to develop Lucy’s Barn, an 1885 carriage house adjacent to the Fitchburg Public Library, for a community performing arts center. For more information email strattonplayers@gmail.com or visit strattonplayers.com.

Leominster, what do you want in your library?

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LEOMINSTER — Library staff are seeking community input to help guide the next few years of service through a survey that runs through August.

Leominster Public Library Director Alexander Lent said they have received about 150 responses so far.

“While we haven’t fully assessed the results yet, we can say that they are overwhelmingly positive but still provide good direction for our planning efforts,” he said. “We would love to hear more from folks who don’t use the library very often to see if there are collections, services, or events we could offer that would encourage them to use the library more often.”

When it comes to service goals and strategic planning, Lent said keeping the community in the loop  — and asking for their ideas — is at the root of the library survey.

“It’s important to engage the Leominster community in library planning because the Leominster Public Library belongs to the Leominster community,” Lent said. “Success for the library comes down to the extent to which the library meets the specific needs of its community, and to meet those needs, we have to know what they are. This survey helps us to do that.”

Leominster Public Library staff are seeking community input to help guide the next few years of service through a survey that can be found on the library website and runs through August. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
Leominster Public Library staff are seeking community input to help guide the next few years of service through a survey that can be found on the library website and runs through August. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

A committee made up of staff members from all areas of the library, a member of the library Board of Trustees, a Friends of the Leominster Public Library board member, and a member of the public put together the survey questions that focus on short-term and long-term strategic planning goals.

“We’ll work together to understand the responses that come in and to create a list of broad goals and more specific objectives for the library to focus on over the next few years,” Lent said. “The most important participant in this process is the public. We need our community’s input in order to move forward.”

He went on to say that he hopes people will take the time to provide input and feedback via the survey.

“In addition to being an incredibly useful and important task, strategic planning is among the best parts of librarianship,” Lent said. “It’s a chance to directly engage with the community, learn about their experiences, find out about their hopes for their community and their library, and then work together to achieve shared goals. I love this process.”

Visit tinyurl.com/LeominsterPLSurvey to participate in the survey. 

Community invited to “First Day” play at Leominster library

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LEOMINSTER – The library will be transformed into a theater next month for a special performance of “First Day,” an original play written and performed by Leominster High School Theatre Company student actors under the direction of longtime LHS teacher and theatre company director Andrea Mastroianni.

The Leominster Public Library Children’s Room is pleased to welcome children and their parents and caregivers to the Aug. 15 performance that will tell the story of characters Jenny and Rebecca during their first day of kindergarten adventures, according to a press release. The performance was made possible due to the help of Project Apples/Leominster CFCE, which is a grant funded by the state Department of Early Education and Care

After the short play there will be an opportunity to ask general questions of the cast and children are invited to each of the activity centers where they can practice their kindergarten readiness skills such as tying a shoe, packing their own backpack, and developing fine motor skills.

There will also be a story walk on the library grounds featuring “Lola Goes to School” by Anna McQuinn, which youngsters and families can enjoy the whole week of Aug. 14. In addition, free backpacks donated by Azelis Americas will be available to families in need. Those interested in a backpack can register at forms.gle/JAqsW3yBfg4u9TAJ6.

For more information contact Project Apples at 978-534-3038.

Kosmic Kelly brings science fun to Leominster library

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Kelly Lavoie brought her popular educational and interactive “Hands on Science with Kosmic Kelly” program to the Leominster Public Library on June 7. The energetic and engaging scientist has been teaching, entertaining, and wowing children of all ages throughout the Central Mass region for over 15 years using fun and creative ideas to engage youngsters with a variety of science themed projects.

Kelly Lavoie brought her popular educational and interactive “Hands on Science with Kosmic Kelly” program to the Leominster Public Library on June 7, wowing children of all ages with fun science-based experiments. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
Kelly Lavoie brought her popular educational and interactive “Hands on Science with Kosmic Kelly” program to the Leominster Public Library on June 7, wowing children of all ages with fun science-based experiments. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)