Library Scenes

Why do the staff and the Friends at Reston Regional Library do what we do? This photo by Darlene reveals all...

Sorry about obscuring the faces -- we didn't have their names . . .

/kw

Ready, Set, READ

To continue from yesterday, here are photos of the murals in the "Ready to Read" Center in the Childrens' area of Reston Regional Library.  The blogger wasn't aware until late yesterday that a different artist painted the murals (although it is apparent from their styles!).  To make up for the error, the blogger is posting photos of ALL of the murals in the Center!

Jeff Lonnette is a tremendously gifted local artist (and an art teacher in the Fairfax County Public School System).  The longer you gaze at these, the more you see the characters of childhood stories that he cleverly captured.  Children can come in here and see old friends like Red Riding Hood, the Old Woman in the Shoe, the Mouse and the Lion, and others. 

Mr. Lonnett has a website you can visit. Additionally, FCPS will be exhibiting his work along with other teacher/artists from November 3-15 at the Ernst Cultural Center at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. 

This last photo shows how we protect the murals when we use the room as our 'staging area' for the Semi-Annual Book Sales.  You can tell this is late in the sale because the walls are visible. When we start, the boxes are piled high!

We hope you and your children enjoy the work the Friends of Reston Library do in order to make the Childrens' area inviting.  If you'd like more information about either artist, please ask at the Childrens' help desk.

Photos by Darlene

/kw

Reading Is Magical

And a little child shall lead them . . . 

Janelle reads to Madison in the room where the walls are FULL of imagination!

Caroline reads to Marielle while Esteban and Jack (not related to the girls) 

 creep closer to enjoy it as well.

Esteban and Jack enjoy magic time with mom at the library.

If you don't spend much time in the Childrens' section of Reston Regional Library, you might have missed one of the truly magical areas of the library.  Sure, the computers at child-height are great, and the librarians are extremely helpful, and the collection is extensive, but the true joy of this area is seeing children interact with their surroundings and each other.

In Spring 2006, the Friends of Reston Regional Library  hired a local artist, Sally Carter Meyer of Oak Hill, VA, to turn bare walls into an inviting oasis for children.  The self-taught artist, with her dynamic sense of color and imagination accomplished that goal and then some.  None of us could have forseen the impact this colorful area would have on the children and their parents.

This is just a taste of what's there.  More photos of the mural room tomorrow.  Or, stop by and see it yourself!

Photos by Darlene

/kw