Local library holds event for adults and kids alike
Entering Adriance Memorial Library to find music blaring and all four floors packed with people is a bit out of the ordinary. To prepare for First Friday Pougkeepsie’s official return in May, “Books &Brew: A Night Out in Poughkeepsie” was held as a preview event on April 6, 2018. Adriance Memorial Library served as the center of the night’s events for families, students and other curious locals.
Each floor of the library had forms of activities and entertainment fit for a person of any age. Adults climbed the stairs to the third floor for beer samplings, while children scurried around the main floor, only growing quiet to watch in awe as the Vassar Acapella group performed. Kids sprawled out on the floor waiting for their turn to get a temporary tattoo and lines of people waited patiently to stock up on appetizers of cheese, fruits and veggies. “We actually proposed this to work with First Friday back in November. The last month has been the fleshing out with the entertainment and readers,” said Yvonne Laube, who worked to organize the night’s festivities. The planning paid off, as the night was busy, with a form of entertainment at every corner.
Books, rightly so, were the focus of the event. In collaboration with Vassar College, “Hello, Dear Enemy!” was the featured exhibit in the library’s rotunda on the main floor.
The exhibit featured children’s books and novels that were borrowed from the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. The books covered a variety of topics, but were connected by more general themes regarding conflict, peace and humanity.
After entering from Market Street, guests were greeted by a plethora of posters with images and quotes taken from the featured books. Inside the Rotunda Gallery, one could find shelves of the children’s books, which were taken down every so often for families or curious adults to read. Although some of the books were in English, many were written in at least 10 different languages, including French, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Italian. At any given time, there was someone in the room peering at the books on the shelves. Some made themselves a spot, and planted themselves down to flip through a few of the books, grabbing one after another.
The collaboration with First Friday brought in a crowd. The “Hello, Dear Enemy!” exhibition gave both an educational and international edge to the event. The expected turnout was at least 200 people, but the event exceeded expectations. Members of the community were in and out, and many were able to talk to staff to learn about the library’s various resources and weekly events. “It’s critical that the library continues to evolve to meet people’s needs and support people in all areas of literacy, whether that be reading, or computer literacy, art literacy, or political literacy. I think it’s really important that we stay relevant,” said Jewel Ratzlaff, the Public Information Officer at Adriance Memorial Library. Every person has a place in the library, and Adriance Memorial is ready to welcome anyone who walks through their doors.
