Library week is a family affair

The theme of this year's week-long celebration of libraries is 'family', and accordingly the library has developed a schedule of activities to appeal to every family member. The library is holding an open house throughout Public Library Week, and giving Westmounters the opportunity to take part in several contests; it will host a very special meeting of its games club; and it will present a writing workshop overseen by author Alan Silberberg.

The library hosts Silberberg today at 4 p.m. Silberberg, a Westmount cartoonist and writer of the book Pond Scum, will oversee a children's writing workshop aimed at ages 9 and up. The workshop will take place in the Westmount Room, but the sign-up sheet for the event is at the desk in the children's department.

On Friday, Oct. 20, the game club overseen by Mike Ditchburn has a special meeting. Club members are invited to bring their families along to a special Family Games Night. Both traditional and new board games will be set up for play, not only in the children's department, but also upstairs in the adult library. The games will begin at 7 p.m.

The open house runs every day of Public Library Week, through Saturday. There is coffee available in the mornings, and visitors can ask for tours of the library and its facilities. These tours can be geared toward a special interest, or can be used to explore the various services the library offers.

"You may think you know the library, but there are all sorts of resources that even if you go there regularly you may not be aware of ," said Library Director Ann Moffat. "Just last week, two women who are in here all the time asked me, 'do you have DVDs?' Well, yes."

The library is hosting three contests during Public Library Week. One is a province-wide draw; participants can submit an entry form for a chance to win one of 10 $500 gift certificates to the Renaud-Bray bookstore chain. The other two contests are more local affairs. The Westmount Library, bearing in mind the family theme of the week, is running a contest for family photographs. Anyone may submit a picture of their family to become eligible for a special prize. Photographs of families reading together will be used to decorate the library during Public Library Week. Finally, the library is also hosting an ongoing pumpkin competition; entrants should decorate a pumpkin without carving it, and bring their work to the children's department. Winners will be announced at a special pirate-themed Halloween gala on Oct. 28.

The library has also welcomed Public Library Week with displays, an expanded readers' advisory corner, and pamphlets with special bibliographies focusing on different aspects of families. The Westmount Library is reflecting the theme of this year's celebration of libraries in many ways. The connection between libraries and families, after all, is a natural one. As Moffat puts it, "There's something here for the whole family."