Fairmount Library makes ‘adoption’
The Fairmount Community Library is working diligently to provide a strong, educational virtual presence during this pandemic to support our patrons and families.
Wiith this in mind, the library staff wanted to add some additional excitement to the Summer Reading and Learning Program and came up with the idea of adopting a manatee.
During the week of July 19, the library held Beac Week.
To go along with the theme, the Fairmount Community Library has incorporated this unique opportunity for itssummer learners.
The lirbary adopted a manatee named Annie from Save the Manatee Club in Florida.
This is a nonprofit whose mission is to protect imperiled manatees and their aquatic habitat for future generations.
Annie was an underweight orphaned manatee when she was found in 2005.
Since then, Annie has had four calves at Blue Spring State Park, most recently in 2018.
She is currently 15 years old and healthy.
However, she did receive some new scars on the left side of her head from a boat strike.
Adopting Annie allows the community of children to learn about an endangered species, their habitat, and ways they are protected, according to a press release from the library.
More importantly, it gives children a sense of responsibility/ownership with Annie and an interest in checking on her as she grows over time.
“We also hope to encourage our learners to take a role in educating others about manatees and how they can help to save them,” the library said in a press release.
“We saw how much our FCL families enjoyed the caterpillar kits” said library Director Brenda Shea. “We knew they would love learning about our adopted manatee, Annie. This learning opportunity is 100% online and we hope many families can take advantage of this unique access, via FCL Summer Learning Kits.”
Library staff will provide educational children’s storytimes every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. for preschoolers and every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. for babies and toddlers.
Patrons can find the storytimes on Facebook Live.
