First of all, Des Peres Branch will be feeling sad during April because we will be losing Phil Newbill. As of April 11, he will be transferred to our Benton Branch. Phil’s kindly touch with the children and his helpfulness to everyone will be sadly missed.
“Audio-visual” seems to be our theme for April. During the public schools’ spring break, we will show filmstrips of children’s books at 2 p.m., on April 5 and 7 — there will be something for picture book age and older children. The library has purchased two new feature films, and we will have them in April, too. On April 6 at 2 p.m. we will have John Steinbeck’s classic “The Red Pony.” On April 13 at 4 p.m. we will show “Brian’s Song,” the story of the football star, Brian Piccolo. We have also “discovered” a slide series about the Main Library, so that if any group would like an illustrated talk on the services of the St. Louis Public Library in general, we could now present that.
The Branch will be honoring the “Week of the Young Child” April 3-9, with the second annual art exhibit of work from Grace Methodist Pre-school, all during the month. We will also be featuring our book collection of materials about caring for younger children — ours is one of the best collections in the system. And — late for the special week – on April 29 we will have with us Rosemary Whitacre, “The Puppet Lady,” from Columbia, Missouri, doing a preschool puppet show, “The Little Red Hen.” Rosemary’s performance will be at 10:30 a.m.
Our popular service of tax form preparation will continue on Saturdays, April 2 and 9. The volunteer will be at the library from 11 to 3 those days, and she has done a good many thus far.
A teenagers’ drama group led by Ms. Linda Piper has been rehearsing in the branch for several weeks and will give its finished performance on Saturday, April 9 at 4 p.m.
The library staff has been taking an inventory of the children’s books recently, to ascertain what is missing and generally clear up records. Beginning in midApril the children’s librarian will be visiting each classroom in the area schools, to publicize Summer Reading Club and other children’s services offered by the library. The library system’s publicity efforts will be turned toward children’s services during April, May and June, so that individuals and groups are cordially invited to become acquainted with those services; we can give programs on children’s books for parents, for example, or talk about children’s services or using books with children…your ideas are welcomed.
Originally published in The Paper, April 1977.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1977_04.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
