Wheeler Memorial Library
49 E Main Street
Orange, MA 01364
978-544-2495
49 E Main Street
Orange, MA 01364
978-544-2495
Moore Leland Library
172 Athol Road
Orange, MA 01364
978-575-0444
172 Athol Road
Orange, MA 01364
978-575-0444
The year 2021 continued to be a challenging time. Widely available vaccines caused the number of COVID-19 cases to plummet over the summer, and the the spread of the Delta and Omicron variants caused cases to skyrocket again in the fall and winter. While most town departments remained closed to the public, the libraries were able to stay open throughout the year. The Wheeler was fully reopened in time for the 2021 Summer Reading program, and public capacity was increased from 10 members of the public to 20. In-person programming also resumed, with limited numbers and social distancing.
In June the library hired Kathryn Chaisson in the position of Children's Assisant, bringing the library back to a full staff.
The library's summer reading program was once again a great success. The children's summer reading program continued using Beanstack, while adult summer reading returned to the traditional paper reading logs. The combined efforts of adult and youth readers once again more than met the goal set by the Friends of the Library for a $400 donation to the Franklin County Community Meals Program.
Money that the library had received as a reimbursement through the CARES act was used to grade and pave the upper parking lot at Wheeler, making it safer to use and easier to maintain.
The much-needed repair work at Moore Leland was completed for both the interior and the exterior in the spring. Once repairs were completed, painting of the exterior of the library began.
The eighth annual Robert P. Collén Poetry Competition was a hybrid program this year, held both in person and over Zoom on October 27th, with participants joining in from all over town and all over the country to share their love of poetry.
Traditional programming resumed after summer reading, including story times and the library's popular Lego club. Virtual programming also continued, with virtual book club remaining at-home option for younger readers.
The library staff and trustees continue to be grateful for the support they have received, and look forward to continuing to serve the community in 2022.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Board of Library Trustees,
Jessica Magelaner, Library Director