Pierre Liethen enjoys participating in summer activities offered by the Warsaw Community Public Library. Photo provided by Warsaw Community Public Library.

By Ann M. Zydek
Library Director
Warsaw Community Public Library

WARSAW — The ancients Greeks used the word “agora” to mean “to gather together.” Agora places were assembly places of the people and were a crucial component of all Greek villages and towns. I encourage you to visit your library this summer and see for yourself a present-day “agora” place, a community “literary” hub, where people of all ages are gathering together to select books to read, participate in summer reading challenges, enjoy public library events, use library services and share what they know, learn, think and experience with others.

June was a busy month at Warsaw Community Public Library. By the end of Saturday, June 17, the library had 1,754 readers (858 children, 329 teens, 547 adults and 20 staff) signed up for the “All Together Now” 2023 Summer Reading Challenge, which is running from June 1 through July 31. Already participants have logged over 1 million pages. A special thanks to the 2023 “All Together Now” Summer Reading sponsors.

Like other public libraries, the Warsaw Community Public Library’s board of trustees and library staff strive to deliver lifelong learning opportunities for all the community members in our service territory. The library offers books and other collections for reading, viewing or hearing at our downtown Warsaw location at 310 E. Main St. as well as digital connections to information, ideas and experiences.

Beyond books, reading rooms and other traditional information and education functions, the library creates “hands-on” participatory activities. Our story hours and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities for children and families are great examples of popular “hands-on” opportunities as active learning stations are offered along with the reading and sharing of favorite books.

The library board and library staff, with help from local partnerships and community input, continue to engage and equip our community by providing inclusive, innovative and relevant services without barriers. Together we strive to reimagine a welcoming library “agora” place and to develop collections, programs and services that readily respond to your changing needs. Collaborating together in upcoming years we can enrich face-to-face engagement and hands-on opportunities by creating more library spaces and outreach services for direct social connections such as one-to-one tutoring, group study, off-site visits, community collaborative problem-solving, and active social, cultural and civic exchanges.

May we see you often this summer at your library — the perfect place for book lovers to gather together.