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08/14/2024 12:28 PMESSEX
The Essex Library Association has made new additions to its building with the acquisition of two new AWE Early Learning Computer Stations, coupled with the renaming of its program room in honor of late library advocates, Marilyn and Richard Buel.
The library held a celebration of the Buels with the renaming of the program room in July, dedicating it to the couple's steadfast and “very vocal” support of the library, along with its ability to serve both the Essex community and residents of other towns.
“They were both huge supporters of the library,” said Library Director Ann Thompson.
Thompson said that both of the Buels were active in the library community, sitting on the library’s Board of Trustees at different periods of times and also advocating for programming which drew people from institutions such as Wesleyan University.
“They pushed us to always be better at what we were doing, and they were excellent at the things that they did when they attended programs,” said Thompson.
Thompson added that the largest bequest the library has received came from Richard Buel, who left the library an “enormous” inheritance of $455,000. That type of goodwill resulted in the recognition to honor all of the Buels’ contributions to the library.
“Marilyn and Richard Buel’s unwavering commitment to our library has been truly inspirational,” said Thompson in a press release about the renaming. “Their advocacy has made a lasting impact on our services and programs, and we are thrilled to honor their legacy in this meaningful way.”
The Buel Room will host a wide array of library programs and events, “serving as a testament to the Buels’ enduring legacy of support and dedication,” said the association.
Additionally, new programming has come to the library in the form of two AWE Early Learning Computer Stations which were purchased with the support of a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County.
According to the association, the computer stations will “significantly enhance our library’s educational resources, providing young learners with interactive and engaging tools to support their development.”
The AWE stations are designed specifically for children aged 2 to 8 and are preloaded with over 70 educational software platforms which offer a variety of educational activities in mathematics, science, reading, and art, “making learning both fun and interactive,” said the association.
Thompson said the computers, which are located in the computer zone of the children’s section of the library, have well been “very well-received” as fun educational tools to “support…early learning and early STEM education to help support the curriculum in schools.”
“It’s background teaching of conceptual kinds of things that they'll then get more deeply into when they start school. It gives them a good leg-up on getting into those things and having some familiarity with them through the software,” she said.
One example in the reading category includes an animated, interactive version of the fairy tale, The Gingerbread Man. Users can improve their reading skills through child-friendly stories while clicking on characters in the story, making it both educational and interactive.
Thompson said that if the stations continue to prove popular, the library will look to request additional funding for more AWE computers. She said the library is also looking for more funding to expand its opportunities for patrons of all ages for the important purpose of building a community.
“Our goal is to help the community be more connected and enjoy themselves more and find the resources that they're looking for,” she said.