Green reported during a recent library board meeting on summer events.

The Community Block Party featured 30 community organizations, 20 local artisans with more than 1,100 people attending the event. The library also raised a total of $2,441, more than double the 2023 amount raised of $1,102.

Read for Beads, a program where children earned beads on a necklace for every hour of reading or activity completed resulted in 1,776 beads earned for reading, attending makerspace and going on adventures to zoos and museums. The library had 181 children read 82,814 minutes and completed 624 learning activities.

In 2024, 36 teens participated in the teen journaling program. Teens read 315 books and completed 299 journal prompts. The journals were a hit and increased teen participation and reading during the Summer Reading Celebration. Teen journals was a new program at the library.

The last official story time for summer was held at the James Prendergast Library on Aug. 28. On average, library officials are reporting that between 37-50 children on average attend the program. Submitted photo

On Aug. 1 the library celebrated the library’s oak tree in the front lawn of the library with a birthday party and naming ceremony. More than 200 names were suggested, with the name “Wishtree” selected as the tree’s official name. During the birthday party, Dan Stone, city arborist and Parks Department director, spoke about the Wishtree and other historic trees in Jamestown. Stone said the Wishtree is more than 80 years old and is a pin oak tree.

Wednesday story times were attended by 37 to 50 children each week. Special guests such as Sukanya Burman Dance Company, Chautauqua County Humane Society, Jamestown Fire Department, and other community partners presented during story time.

The YMCA Summer Lunch Program served lunches to more than an average of 50 children a day. The YMCA provided staff members to hand out the lunches. Library staff contributed by setting up a tent, tables, and chairs for those who preferred to eat their lunches on-site.

Between 30 and 60 people participated in Infinity drumming throughout the summer’s weekly musical hour. Infinity also chose to host its End of Summer Bash at the library as a substitute for performing at Community Block Party. The bash brought more than 150 patrons to the three-hour live music event.

The BOCES High School Equivalency morning classes started meeting at the library in mid-August. Classes meet in the PCC Lab and are offered Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition, evening classes continue to be offered in the Literacy Center Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m.

The library applied to the Lenna Foundation for 12% of the 25% match funding needed to complete the 2024 New York State Aid for Library Construction Grant. The foundation awarded the library $35,745 towards the 25% match for the Front Door Construction Project. The library applied for the other 12.5% to the Sheldon Foundation and expects to learn the funding status early this fall.

A $19,000 grant has been awarded from the Holmberg Foundation in support of the library’s Makerspace and youth programming while the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System awarded a $500 Summer Reading Grant to support the Summer Reading Celebration. The grant purchased prizes and program materials.

A $14,000 grant from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to expand the community gardens around the library. Invasive plants, overgrown trees and shrubs that were damaging the historic building and creating sightline barriers for staff were removed.

For more information visit prendergastlibrary.org or call 716-484-7135.