Skoufis sponsors library ‘Road Trip’
Monroe. Ramapo Catskill Library System’s summer program encourages literacy and travel.
| 10 Jul 2023 | 02:10
Monroe Free Library Trustee Nedda Tichi (center) listens as Library Director Amanda Primiano shares her programmatic priorities with state Sen. James Skoufis. Photos provided by Emma Fuentes, Chief of Staff, for Sen. James Skoufis.
The Rev. Nicole Lesandra and son Joseph (demonstrating he is five years old) learned about the RCLS Road trip by visiting the Monroe Free Library.
State Sen. James Skoufis (D-Orange County) joined leadership from the Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) and the Monroe Free Library to kick off the “RCLS Road Trip,” a program sponsored by the senator that encourages community members to visit as many of the system’s 47 libraries and 52 buildings as they can over the course of the summer months.
Skoufis secured state funding to pay for all promotional materials associated with the program.
With the Independence Day holiday and the school year behind us, summer offers readers of all ages the time to enjoy their local libraries, pick up a few good books, and learn more about the many ways our libraries can enrich our communities.
“Road Trip” participants will be given a map of the RCLS service area to help them find and track the libraries they’ve visited, picking up prizes along the way.
RCLS anticipates increased library usage during the summer and beyond, with each participating library having an opportunity to showcase its distinct programming, collections, and services to new and returning visitors.
“Our libraries are truly community hubs, offering visitors from all backgrounds a space to gather, learn, and explore, and to connect with the world around them,” Skoufis said in the press release detailing the program. “I applaud RCLS and their creative effort to expose more Hudson Valley residents to the vitality and importance of the region’s libraries. Literacy is central to critical thinking and upward mobility for our kids and communities.”
“Thank you to Senator Skoufis and to all of our library supporters,” added RCLS Executive Director Grace Riario, “and welcome to all who are discovering libraries for the first time this summer. I can’t wait to see what you discover! Share it with us by tagging #RCLSRoadTrip.”
Following the senator’s visit, Monroe Free Library hosted Christopher Agostino’s “StoryFaces,” an outdoor storytelling experience that allows kids to hear a uniquely animated tale told through face paint illustrations, followed by an afternoon of family fun.
The library also hosts computer classes, a literary walking group, game nights, movie screenings among other offerings.
In 2022, Skoufis announced funding he secured for Orange County libraries totaling $185,000. This funding will enable new and enhanced programming with a primary focus on youth offerings. Additional library funding announcements will be made in the coming months.
For more information about the RCLS Road Trip, visit:https://guides.rcls.org/RCLSRoadTrip2023