Everything But Lions at Library Celebration:
The Rye Free Reading Room needs no preface. Rye residents saw a need for a circulating library in the late 19th century, and, before the First World War, a permanent library to serve everyone in the community.

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The Rye Free Reading Room needs no preface. Rye residents saw a need for a circulating library in the late 19th century, and, before the First World War, a permanent library to serve everyone in the community. With land donated by the Parsons family, a brick building was completed in October 1913. Last Saturday, hundreds of families headed to the Village Green, for the first­ of many celebrations in honor of the landmarked library’s centennial.

Most of the action was outside, where all ages stopped to pat a bunny, listen to three billy goats who were anything but gruff, watch a joey (baby kangaroo) jump, see a snake slither, and catch up with a turtle. And then they danced — to the sounds of The Groove. In between, they ate cotton candy and waited for a balloon to take the shape of their favorite character or animal.

When a drizzle turned into a rain shower, the storybook celebration continued inside the library.

— Photos by Robin Jovanovich