Today's Reading
CHAPTER ONE
BRIAR CREEK PUBLIC LIBRARY
'Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow'..." a voice sang softly.
Library director Lindsey Norris glanced up from the computer monitor on the reference desk where she was working. Standing in front of her was a snowperson...sort of.
The faux snowperson was actually their children's librarian, Beth Barker, who also happened to be one of Lindsey's closest friends. Beth was wearing an oversize white T-shirt with three black felt buttons going down the front. Around her neck she wore a red scarf, and on her head was a white baseball cap that had two large google eyes glued on it, and a pointy nose made out of a batting-stuffed cone of orange felt attached to the front, just above the brim, to make a carrot-like nose between the google eyes. She looked adorable.
"Let me guess," Lindsey said. "It's a snow-themed story time today."
"What gave it away?" Beth scratched her head beneath the cap as if perplexed. Then she laughed and said, "We're reading Little Fox in the Snow by Jonathan London, Making a Friend by Tammi Sauer, and A Thing Called Snow by Yuval Zommer. Then we're crafting giant sparkly paper snowflakes to hang in the window. So fun!" Beth hopped up and down as if she couldn't contain her enthusiasm. No one promoted stories and reading like Beth. She was a treasure for their Small public library in the shoreline village of Briar Creek, Connecticut.
"What are you working on?" Beth asked.
"I'm thinking of offering a website-building workshop, so I'm going over the possible free options, because I don't want to charge patrons. I just want to give them an idea of what's available and teach them how to get started," Lindsey said. "Our volunteer Ali McMahon is a website designer, and she's offered to teach the classes if I can come up with a curriculum."
"Sweet," Beth said. "I've considered taking a class on web design so I can create a webpage where I load up all of my story time information as a resource-sharing thing, you know?"
"I do," Lindsey said. "Potentially, we could link your page to the library's website as an additional resource, assuming I can get this class going. Honestly, the logistics are more complicated than I expected."
"You'll figure it out. And when you do, I'll be there." Beth nodded, making the felt carrot on her cap bob up and down.
"I appreciate your confidence." Lindsey smiled.
"Did you finish the book for our crafternoon today?" Beth asked. Thursday was their weekly crafternoon meeting in which they discussed a book they'd read, shared lunch and did a craft.
"Capote's A Christmas Memory?" Lindsey clarified. "Yes, I did. I've read it before, but there was so much I'd forgotten. It's really a wonderful story and I love the illustrated hardcover version we read."
"I thought so, too," Beth agreed. "Who's in charge of food this week?"
"Mayor Cole."
"Excellent." Beth pumped her fist. "She always brings meatball subs as soon as the temperature drops and stays in the thirties."
"With extra cheese." Lindsey felt her stomach rumble. She was more than ready for lunch. She glanced at the time on the top-right corner of her computer monitor. Another hour to go. Ugh.
"Library Lady!" A precocious little boy ran at Beth with his mother trailing behind him, carrying an armful of picture books and his coat. "Why are you dressed like a snow library lady?"
Beth glanced at Lindsey with a grin. "I love my job." Then she turned back to the boy. "Hello, Nate." Beth squatted down to be on his level and said, "Why do you think I'm dressed as a snow library lady?"
Nate leaned back, squinting his right eye as he studied Beth as if she were a riddle to be solved. After a few moments, his face cleared and he said, "Because we're reading stories about snow?"
"Yes!" Beth held up her hand for a high five, and Nate reached back and slapped her palm with his, giving it his all.
"Hi, Beth, Lindsey." Kaylee Bryce, Nate's mother, joined them. "He's very excited for story time today."
"So am I!" Beth cried. She held out her hand, and Nate took it without hesitation. As they departed for the children's section, where the story time room was, Beth called over her shoulder, "See you at lunch!"
...
