Dear Friends,
I enjoyed a quiet weekend last weekend, spending time doing chores around the house, relaxing and reading, and playing with my cats, Sita and Kanha. Both cats share names of Indian origin, Sita being the name of a famous and dominant matriarchal tigress from the Bandhavgarh National Park in India. Sita was born in 1982 and raised 6 litters(!) until her tragic death by poaching in 1997. Kanha Tiger Reserve, at just over 360 square miles, is the largest national park in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. The land was first set aside as a preserve in 1933 and is rich in flora and fauna besides Bengal Tigers, including Sloth Bears, Indian Leopards, Gaur, and various species of deer, and so many different and beautiful species of birds. Per a 2024 census, Kanha is home to 115 tigers and 30 cubs.
Onward with a quick note about what’s going on at Skidompha. This Saturday, September 5th at 10am, Skidompha will host a Staycation Story Time with Martha White, E.B. White’s granddaughter. Martha will be reading her grandfather’s newly published children’s book, The Duck Can’t Sleep. Long past bedtime, two creatures sleeplessly wander around and around the reservoir in New York’s Central Park. Based on a poem originally published in The New Yorker by the legendary author E.B. White, and marvelously illustrated by two-time Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet, the book is a love letter to nature in unlikely places, a testament to the power of imagination, and a balm to restless readers everywhere. This will be lovely and very special story time ending with a book signing with Martha. This program is free, and all ages are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided. Special thanks to the Skidompha Secondhand Book Shop and the Skidompha Club.
And a shoutout to our superlative Skidompha Book Shop! Our volunteers are the best bar none. Fascinating, knowledgeable people running the best Book Shop around, creating a kind, welcoming, and joyful environment every day. We’re very lucky to have them. Thank you for all you do, folks. Remember that the bookshop is still following its summer schedule and is open every day from 9-6pm. For those of you who have not yet visited, I urge you to do so. It is truly a special place filled with treasures. For those of you who have already visited, well, you know it’s a gem.
Calendar notes. Apologies to everyone for our website calendar woes. We use WordPress and we have been struggling with our calendar plugin for a while now. Meghan has shown great patience in fighting this problem, and we think there may be a solution. Please note that for now our calendar is not currently showing on our homepage, but it can be accessed by mousing over our Programs and Events dropdown at the top of the page, and clicking on the first option, Calendar of Events.
Lastly, but not leastly, reminder that we are collecting clothes for our Clothing Swap right now. Collection will continue until September 19th. With the beginning of the school year in full steam, and winter nearing, Skidompha will be conducting a clothing swap on Saturday, September 19th from 10-1:30pm, for anyone ages 12 years and older! Please drop donations at bins located throughout the library prior to the event. In addition, please ensure clothes are in clean, good condition.
Be well,
Matthew
Matthew Graff
Executive Director
Skidompha Public Library