Dear Editor, One of the great benefits of Watonga City government is the Watonga Public Library https:// www. watongaok. gov/library .
Many of you were in the library recently to celebrate the 30-year service of Terri Crawford, who served after Mrs. Ruby Cooper, the librarian when I was a child.
The library was started by a group of citizens led by Mrs. T.B. (Elva) Ferguson as a subscription library in 1906.
And now, we have a new, highly talented librarian, Michelle Merriman, who brings a lot of experience and ideas.
She has a highly talented and helpful staff including Karen Gilliland – Assistant Librarian, Alaya Nault-Keierleber – Children’s Librarian and Elaine Greer, circulation clerk.
The library is supported by a board of directors appointed by the city, and a not-for-profit organization, Friends of the Watonga Public Library. This 501(C)-3 organization, which meets the first Friday of each month, provides valuable support for the library such as funding to catalog Blaine County cemeteries. You can join the “Friends” to help support the WPL.
The number of programs conducted on site is impressive.
The summer reading program is just concluding. The “1,000 books before Kindergarten” is popular.
The summer camp for 19 kindergarten-5th graders taught campers about kindness, drawing and painting.
The Lions Club and Kiwanis Club hosted the campers for their lunch meetings.
The Oklahoma Health Community Education club taught the campers how to set a table and the basics of manners.
Adults enjoy the monthly Book Club; this month’s read is “Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen.
Beyond books and camp, the WPL is a great place to see historical photos, copies of the Watonga Republican back to the 1890s, have a meeting, attend Tae Chi classes, decorate a flag and read with Dr. Seuss, if you are a kindergartner.
But the Watonga Public Library is not just a local resource.
One can check out audio books and download ebooks for reading from anywhere in the world via Libby, the library’s app for access.
During COVID 19, the children’s program was conducted virtually, a novel idea that was covered in a special report by KOSU radio, a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate.
There are educational materials for children and adults through a consortium of libraries https:// www. watongapl. okpls.org/.
You can search for a job, learn to code computer games, and enhance your creative skills with over 1,000 videos, all online from anywhere in the world through the internet.
Your Watonga Public Library window to the world is only a click away. Joe P. Bryan Watonga