To the Editor:

I’m a resident of Newtown (almost 32 years), and I’ve always loved our library.

When my sons were little, we did what a lot of families do right now ... taking our kids to the Library to have fun in the play area, participating in the annual Summer Reading Program, seeing all the historical artifacts on display all around the Library, enjoying weekly Library programs, and making friends.

I remember reading an historical fiction book with my kids that was a town-wide read. It culminated at the Library with a talk and watching a movie based on the book. Good memories.

More recently, l’ve participated in a variety of fantastic Library programs/offerings: Poetry walk; Korean lotus workshop; meeting authors like Yvette Cole, who wrote Harriet’s Dinner Party, and, Sue Kassirer, editor of the children’s book, The Knitting Witch, and daughter of its author, Norma Kassirer, plus, illustrator Mark Richardson; yoga sessions; Witness to the Holocaust; The Garden World of Jane Austen.

Plus, I was happy that I took the time to see wonderful displays from the Newtown Historical Society and Ben Cruson in the Newtown History Room (Hawley Gallery).

There is info and photos of: The Beers Family Mapmakers of Newtown; Travel By Train and Automobile; the background of an African-American man, Alfred Jefferson Briscoe, who was the third generation of his family to live and work in Newtown in the 1800s; plus, interesting tidbits about the Newtown Savings Bank, Foundry Kitchen & Tavern, Chintz-N-Prints.

Our Library is a wonderful place, and it offers all of us so much!

Lauren Miller

Newtown