An amazing rentrée

No time is busier in the life of the American Library than the rentrée. September is the busiest month of the year for new members and renewals, and this year has been no exception. Great crowds at our evening programs, throngs of families in the children’s department, and heavily subscribed book groups give more evidence of the interest and participation the Library is generating in the community.

We were thrilled that more than 150 newcomers came through the doors to discover the Library at our fall Open House two Sundays ago, an afternoon of activity and welcome organized by external affairs manager Pauline Lemasson.

A special voter registration table hosted by the Union of Overseas Voters did steady business throughout the day preparing overseas voters for the upcoming US elections.

Celeste Rhoads and intern Maggie Wurzer laid out an afternoon of fun and games, as well as a special art workshop by Ann Bruce Hénaff (photo credit). Then there were behind-the-scenes tours with the director. At past Open Houses I might have led groups of four or five, this time I was talking to standing-room-only groups of fifteen or twenty. Each tour began with a viewing of the seven-minute Library film, which you can watch right now.

What with voter registration, the tours, and a very fine jazz duo helping everyone unwind at the end of the day, the Library was an exceptionally noisy place that day. Thanks to all who good-naturedly continued to read and study, to all who came to the Open House, and to all who join the Library, any time at all.