Page 234 - BOXFORD

Library Assistant. The Library Director position was filled when Kevin Bourque
assumed leadership of Boxford Town Library on May 18, 2015. The Head of
Reference position was filled in July. The library returned to fully staffed status on
December 14, 2015 when the second full time Library Assistant position was filled.

Library Services and Programs
In 2015, the Boxford Library offered a variety of children’s programs, implemented
by Children’s Librarian Josh Kennedy. These ranged from preschool story times
and the monthly Lego building club for older children, to seasonal events such as
the annual Halloween party, and the December holiday party. The Friends of the
Library generously supported these events.

The library’s annual Summer Reading Program for children featured the Super
Hero-oriented theme “Every Hero Has a Story!” There were 290 participants who
earned free admission and ride passes to the Topsfield Fair, as well as free books,
provided by the Friends of the Library, for meeting reading goals in the summer. In
addition, the Library hosted six special summer youth events, including the Fairy
Tale Players performing their updated version of "Red Riding Hood" at Lincoln
Hall, an “Animal Adventures” live creatures program, and Michael Zerphy's "Zany
Acts" comedy event.

Adult programs and events are planned and implemented by staff members and
complemented by offerings from volunteers and the Friends. Among the new and
popular adult programs is the Cookbook Club which meets at the Town Hall
location in Meeting Room One on the second Friday of the month. Participants
choose a recipe from the featured book, prepare and bring it to the luncheon, where
it is shared by all. In the Fall, the breadth and depth of Adult Programming
returned as our new Head of Reference organized a number of programs including;
author visit with Jay Atkinson, author of, “Massacre on the Merrimac,” and the
launch of the Wednesday Night Book Discussion Group.

The Library increased its commitment to borrowable technology with the purchase
of two new products. For Children, the library purchased Playaway Launchpads.
Each durable tablet comes preloaded with educational games revolving around a
theme. For Adults, the library purchased Paperwhite Kindles. Each Kindle is
circulated with a collection of new and popular fiction, with new titles added on a
quarterly basis.

In the spring, The Friends sponsored the annual, “Books in Bloom,” program
engaging elementary school students in imaginative art projects to demonstrate
their reading comprehension skills. In the fall, the Friends of the Boxford Library
hosted “Farmed and Dangerous”, an event that featured local author Edith
Maxwell, author of “Farmed and Dangerous.” This hugely successful event kicked
off the Friends fundraising efforts for the year.

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