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Foremost library’s memberships remain strong

Posted on February 26, 2019 by 40 Mile Commentator

Justin Seward
Commentator/Courier

Foremost is a small town and at times activities can be limited at times for people who don’t play hockey or school sports.
However the Foremost Municipal Library still has a strong membership base to keep locals busy with literacy activities.
The library had 328 card members going into 2018, before dropping by two by year’s end.
“We reach a wide area, all the way to the border, but it’s also a sparse area,” said Joan Beutler, library manager.
“The town is only 500 (people). The population is not the same because the farms are far apart here. It’s dryland farming, its not like irrigation where every mile there is a farm yard. We’re busy for the amount of people we have.”
The library has consistent readership of young and old from all over the local area, but the annual summer programming has spearheaded a busy period for the kids coming in to enhance their social skills through various activities and games.
“It’s always great numbers and (a) great bunch kids,” said Beutler.“We end up very busy in the summer with kids. Families come in and grab a bunch of stuff.
“Our town is small and it has hockey, it has school sports and figure skating. Our winters are less busy as far as programming for children goes. We do a lot of pre school programming, but not for school-aged because they’re busy in school.”
Summer programming goes from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. where a summer student is hired who oversees a reading program, a game board where the kid puts a piece on the board and have to have so many reading minutes before advancing around the squares.
Craft and adventures days, science experiments, computer programming, an escape room and a water park day are also included in the summer fun at the library.
“It’s a big deal,” she said on having the programming in the village.
“I know I have people already now, even last Friday, there was a mom in here asking about the summer program. It’s February, and she was already looking to the summer. It’s great to know that it means as much to them as it does to us. We love providing it and they obviously love experiencing it.”
The summer programming is no cost and there is no registration.
Other programs include a Book Club, which is held the third Sunday of every month from 3 p.m.- 4 p.m.. and a Mother Goose story time every Friday from 10:45 a.m.- 11:45 a.m.
“We want the library to be a place where people can come and meet and fits their needs both for entertainment as far as books, movies and educational place for people,” said Beutler.

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