The Longmont Public Library and the Longmont Downtown Development Authority are inviting families to take a walk — and read a story.
The library and LDDA are encouraging people to stroll through downtown to read the children’s book “Sampson in the Snow” by Philip C. Stead. Each page of the book is printed on a card in both English and Spanish, and the cards have been strategically placed in downtown businesses and breezeways, offering a socially distanced, family friendly walk through town.
The event is the brainchild of Anne Ferguson, who wanted to promote reading and the outdoors. The event was created in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont. So far, Storywalk events have been installed in 50 states and 13 countries.
David Kling has been leading the Storywalk project in Longmont. Kling is a children’s and teens’ librarian at the Longmont Public Library.
“We’ve been wanting to do one for a while and we figured it was the perfect socially distanced early literacy activity,” Kling said.
The walk is a little over a half-mile long, starting at Dance Dimensions, 638 Main St., where the first page is posted.
“We wanted to do a winter book because it’s December, and we really liked the message of the story, it’s kind of about weathering the storm with friends and coming through on the other side; so that seemed very timely,” Kling said.
“We’re encouraging literacy and also hoping that the Storywalk will help to support local businesses downtown.”
Local businesses that have pages on display are: Dairy Queen, Scrumptious, Barbed Wire Books, NewCastle Comics, Longmont Yarn Shoppe, Crystal Joys, Used Book Emporium, Brown’s Shoe Fit Co. and Maker General. The Kitchen Co. — which closed this summer and moved back into Ace Hardware where it got its start — also has a page in the window where the shop once was.
“We still have that building downtown and we’re huge believers in downtown and want to do what we can to support people coming down and walking around and seeing all the cool stuff,” said Kristen Pellicer, who owns Ace Hardware and the Kitchen Co. building with her husband, Manny.
“I just think it’s a great way for families to get out. We’re all looking for new ways to celebrate so I hope families will get out and follow the story along and see some other great stuff downtown, too.”
Starting today, families also can stop by the library and use its curbside delivery service to pick up a craft kit to make paper bag wooly mammoths to go with the story. There are 200 sets of supplies available on a first-come, first-served basis, Kling said. The take-and-make kit is part of the library’s Crafternoon Challenge, in which children create a literary-based craft and share pictures on the library’s Facebook page or via email, Kling said.
The library on Nov. 19 closed to the public as Boulder County moved to red status on the state’s COVID dial dashboard. But it is still offering curbside service, which it started in March at the onset of pandemic restrictions. People can still check out books, DVDs, audiobooks, book bags, and kits for contactless pick up at the library’s east entrance. More information on services available during the closure is available on the library’s website.
