Crozet Library held its annual summer “cookie countdown” August 14, the occasion where it wraps up its summer reading program, which is designed to keep kids engaged with books while school is out. This year the event also marked the official kick-off of the campaign to raise $1.6 million to furnish the new library under construction.
The librarians admitted they were worried over whether western Albemarle kids could match last summer’s record of 12,298 books read. Fewer children participated this summer. But in the end, after some teasing suspense and fanfare, they revealed that the area’s young readers did it again: 12,455 books read.
“You guys are awesome!” Crozet librarian Wendy Saz said. “Amazing reading!”
Pete and Ellen Vigour performed songs about reading for the crowd of about 150 people on hand at Crozet Elementary School, where the party was held because attendance has grown too large for the depot building. They reminded folks that their kids had come through Crozet Elementary. too. To get every one engaged, Ellen Vigour called a Virginia Reel that had two lines of four dozen dancing people, young and old.
There were cookies and snacks, and The Looking Glass, the magazine of local creative writing assembled by the library’s Teen Advisory Board, was also distributed. Kids got to choose a small toy to take home.
Bill Schrader, chair of the community fundraising effort, reminded the crowd that “The county is building the building, the citizens are responsible for everything that goes in it.” Next year’s cookie countdown should be in the new building, he said. He asked those who had come out to encourage their neighbors to support the cause. He praised Saz for organizing library programs that enjoy such strong community support.
A new cloisonné pin with the campaign’s Build Crozet Library logo and the slogan “Be Part of the Story” also made its debut. They are on sale at Parkway Pharmacy for $5, which goes to the fund.
A few days later in a report to the Crozet Community Advisory Council, Schrader said that the campaign has raised $242,000. Based on data in the 2010 census, he said that if each family in Crozet Library’s service area, a region that encompasses nearly 30,000 people, were to give $240 to the fund, the goal would be met.
