The Kinsmen's Children's Library reopened just in time for Library Month. (CHAT News Photo/Colton McKee)

By Chris Brown

Making in-person connections

Library celebrating Library Month with a reopening, more programming

Oct 7, 2020 | 3:24 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – “Reopening and coming back in a safe and gradual manner” isn’t the most exciting theme for October’s Library Month but it means a lot at the Medicine Hat Public Library.

“We don’t have a lot of formal events or anything specific to library month but we’re celebrating the fact that we’re open again and we’re gradually increasing services,” says chief librarian Ken Feser.

In late September the Kinsmen Children’s Library – spruced up with new carpeting, paint and more – reopened and October began with hours being extended.

The libraries has also been able to resume and add programming such as a recent cowboy poetry event and walks in Police Point Park with preschoolers and parents.

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Feser says they’ve been popular and are good for community health.

“We do want to bring back in-person connections,” he said. “It helps to build social connections, it fights isolation and loneliness and it’s really one of the most popular things we’ve done over the last years are those kinds of programming community-building events. So we’re so happy that we can get back to that.”

If you’re looking to give the library a gift to celebrate the month, Feser suggests getting a library card or renewing one that has expired. It costs just $5.

“It’s not so much the money as the vote of approval or enthusiasm for what we’re doing. So we would very much appreciate that.”