Presque Isle Rotary Club kicks off Literacy Month

    Last week’s luncheon meeting at the Northeastland Hotel kicked off Literacy Month for the Presque Isle Rotary Club. Librarian Sonja Plummer-Morgan from the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle gave a presentation about the library and club members presented her with over 75 children’s books that they had collected toward their 100-book goal.
   Plummer-Morgan spoke about the donation of books and let Rotarians know that for 75 books there would be 5,400 check outs to children. She and the library staff have been doing a lot for Library awareness and the importance of literacy, especially in February. PI Rotary assisted in those efforts with ads on WAGM for Feed the Need to Read and book bags for children with the Rotary logo and compliments of PI Rotary. The Library staff has been actively participating with the Aroostook Centre Mall on signing up for library cards and even Curious George was present to make an appearance to make reading fun!
    Libraries, according to Plummer-Morgan, level the socio-economic playing field with free access to libraries and their services no matter what the ability to pay. This is so important and integral to literacy and to making reading a natural part of people’s lives, she said. The library also offers tutoring from 3 to 5 p.m. to children, upwards to 50 kids at a time. UMPI has students who are in school for teaching that come to volunteer. The library is always in need of volunteers and Rotary members were encouraged to consider tutoring youngsters at the library after school.
    The library also offers large print books, delivery of books to home-bound readers and they network with various other libraries. Library tours are offered for schools and day cares and pre-schools and have now expanded their hours to accommodate working families by being open on Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Some statistics from the local library are 24,990 Internet users, 8,179 reference questions, 49,931 books checked out and 2,123 used multi purpose room. To learn more, visit www.presqueisle.lib.me.us or call Plummer-Morgan 764-2571.
    The Mystery Rotarian this week was Mary Hunter and her favorite charity was the Patient Fund at the County Dialysis Center, which will have $50 sent in her name from the PI Rotary. The newest members of the club are Dan Bagley and Jay Trainer.