Greetings! As I write this, I'm just completing my first year as your library director--and what a great (and busy) year it's been. I hope you'll take a moment to revisit and enjoy the many highlights of 2025 in this special issue.

I'm grateful for all the support I received from the board, staff, volunteers, and you--our loyal patrons--as I learned my way around. It's because of you that we topped the list among libraries in the Lehigh-Carbon Library Cooperative for the highest percentage of the population registered for a library card (see below). That's amazing and noteworthy.

As we shovel and shiver our way through the first weeks of the new year, I can already tell 2026 will be just as exciting. With the 6th annual Tee Time event around the corner, Summer Reading Club, a new logo and website in development, and a new library entrance and plaza on the way (more below), I look forward to all this year has in store for our wonderful community. Thank you for joining me on this adventure!

Allison Floray, library director

2025 Highlights🎉

There was always something fun going on at the library...

• We started the new year by welcoming both our new director, Allison, and a new adult services librarian, Christine.
• The 5th annual Tee Time at the Library mini-golf event brought out the kid and competitor in everyone while raising more than $10K for the library!
• Our monthly Pinterest parties returned--much to the delight of our many crafty patrons.
• We held two rounds of Creative Play Family Place workshops, inviting families to play, learn and connect with local experts on child development, nutrition, pediatric dental health and more.
• We welcomed LV Phantoms mascot MeLVin to take part in storytime...and pose for lots of fan pictures.
• We explored things that go bump in the night with paranormal investigator and renowned jazz musician Eric Mintel...and look who showed up--none other than WFMZ anchor Jaciel Cordoba!

• The 'Color Our World' Summer Reading Club (SRC) had 943 children, teens and adults reading for fun and rewards!
• A fun and delicious ice-cream social (with lots of sprinkles) marked the start of summer and SRC.
• We held a week-long piano camp with Laurel Nolin of Sound Sprouts and a climate-change STEM mini-camp at The Macungie Institute with teachers from the Climate Change Citizens' Lobby.
• We learned about colors and camouflage in nature from Laura Hopek of the Lehigh County Conservation District.
• Teens sewed colorful pillows with pockets to hold their favorite summer reads.
• The Lehigh Valley Zoo packed the library again last summer and introduced us to more of their fascinating and charismatic animal ambassadors.

• Artist Rita Richetti led children and teens through Art with Color class. 
• We learned about color theory with watercolor artist El Shackleton and made 'tiny shrineys' with mixed-media artist Maryann Riker. Both workshops were part of our ongoing partnership with Lehigh Art Alliance.
• Sarah and Melissa of the PA German Cultural Heritage Center drew a crowd to learn about (and paint) barn stars in July and came back to lead a Moravian Star folding workshop in December.
• Miss Sue added weekly infant/toddler circle story time for our youngest patrons and monthly nonfiction STEM story time for elementary ages, as well as several fun scavenger hunts.
• The PA Shakespeare festival treated us to an outdoor performance of Much Ado About Nothing on a sunny summer day.

• We partnered with the Allentown Health Bureau for two sessions of the award-winning 'Fall Prevention' workshop series.
• Other health and wellness events included monthly chair yoga, CPR training, mindfulness, and a visit from the Emmaus Ambulance Corps for a demo of their wheelchair transport service.
• Our annual Community Heroes night in October gave kids, families, and area residents a chance to explore emergency vehicles, chat with first responders, and pick up some valuable safety tips.
• It's no surprise we look forward to Halloween every year, because the creative costumes, spooky decor and over-the-top cuteness make our jobs feel like play.

• Talented pianist Patrick Kerssen treated us to concerts celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Sound of Music in September and the music of Vince Guaraldi and A Charlie Brown Christmas in December.
• The Lehigh Valley Therapy Dogs brought the wags all year long, eager to listen to stories while young patrons honed their reading skills.
• Many guest presenters added richness to our lineup with events such as Taking the Stress Out of College Admissions (Allison Berger), Staying Safe at Home (Crime Victims Council of LV), Photo Album Design (Melissa Draving), Eating the Rainbow (Pattie Terreros), Podcasting for Teens (Cedar Crest College Comms. Dept.), Madame Butterfly (Ellen Wilson), book discussions (author Lisa Cline-Ransome), storytelling performances (Denise McCormack and Ingrid Bohn), and story times (Girl Scout leader Katey Landry-Johnston, bilingual educator Yanitza Taylor, and Zoellner Arts Center's Dimitra Panagopoulos).
• Recurring events provided opportunities to learn, play and create -- including block parties, teen writing, crochet club, sewing machine fun, genealogy, Alzheimer's caregiver support, memoir and creative writing groups, book clubs and more.
• Even our fantastic mail carrier/good sport and our rubber chicken got in on the fun--and last but not least...you all completed a whole heap of puzzles!

We loved being part of the community...

• We spent time with you at Macungie Farmers Market, Emmaus Heritage Festival, Jasper Day in Upper Milford, and National Night Out events in both Emmaus and Macungie Borough.
• Miss Sue made the rounds to area schools, including events at Emmaus High School, Lower Macungie Middle School, Jefferson Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, and Seven Generations Charter School. She even served as a judge for the wildly creative pumpkin-decorating contest hosted by Ai Orthodontics.
• We stocked a free library at the Emmaus Community Pool to keep you in good poolside reads all summer long.
• Our seed-lending library offered free seed packets to help you start your 2025 gardens--and we hosted a bulb swap in the fall with the Emmaus & Upper Milford Environmental Advisory Council to give you a head start on this year's gardens.
• Thanks to you, we collected nearly 700 lbs. of produce at the library for Plant A Row, which encourages residents to plant an extra row in their garden to donate to local food banks and pantries. We also collected non-perishable groceries for GroceriesPlus, a local food pantry hosted by Bethel Bible Fellowship Church.
• We created a 'share shelf' stocked with donations of shelf-stable foods, personal care products, and household items. It was featured on WFMZ and has become a valued community resource.
• We served as a collection site for Toys for Tots once again, with four boxes overflowing with toys from your generous donations bringing smiles and cheer to area children at the holidays.

Our Friends and volunteers continued to amaze us...

• The Friends of EPL had another banner year, raising many thousands of dollars for the library by holding their spring and holiday book sales, keeping the Book Nook well stocked, collecting unwanted and donated jewelry, and organizing bus trips to the Morgan Library in New York City and the Barnes Collection in Philadelphia. We are so lucky to call you our Friends -- thank you for all you do!
• Our volunteers not only worked the desk, processed new books, and shelved materials. They also served on the library's board of trustees, created beautiful seasonal art for the young adult area, helped staff with events, and led many of our recurring events--such as memoir writing, genealogy, sewing and more. 
• We celebrated our dedicated and tireless volunteers at an appreciation event in May. We are honored to have so many helping hands and cheerful hearts to support our staff and lighten the load.

But wait, there's more...

• We added new museum passes to the Academy of Natural Sciences and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens.
• We added free access to The Wall Street Journal (and will soon be adding free access to The New York Times).
• We upgraded our online calendar to Local Hop and added online event registration.
• Thanks to a donation from the Audubon Society, we now have two birding backpacks available for checkout.
• Local artists from the Lehigh Art Alliance brought color and beauty to the children's wing throughout the year with ongoing exhibits.
• Thanks to funding from Emmaus Borough, the library got a new main roof, while funding from a Trexler Trust grant allowed us to replace another aging HVAC unit. Even the parking lot got some TLC with new sealcoating in the fall.
• And who can forget the furry visitor we had in September? Not only did a squirrel in the library make for a most interesting day, but he or she also gained nearly 17K views and many fans on social media!

What's ahead in 2026

We're always working to offer more services, materials and events to serve you better. Here are some things we're looking forward to this year:

• More parent & child workshops: In 2026, we'll be holding two more rounds of 'Creative Play at the Family Place,' connecting families and community resource professionals in an environment designed for play and learning. Go here to learn about the next five-week series kicking off Feb. 3.
• Tee Time at the Library: Get your tickets for the sixth annual mini-golf fundraiser on March 6 & 7, featuring a 21+ evening and a fun family day of mini golf in the stacks.
• Friends' annual Spring Used Book Sale: Mark your calendar for April 24 & 25 and plan to attend the Friends' biggest fundraiser of the year.

• 'Unearth a Story' Summer Reading Club 2026: Another great summer of reading awaits, with more incentives and prizes, story times, and special events.
• A new logo and website: We've put a lot of focus on upgrading the library's interior the past few years with a beautiful children's wing, fresh carpeting, a new circulation desk, faster PCs, and a renovated staff area. This year, we're also directing our energy to the exterior (see below), as well as our online presence. We're putting more focus on our social media and working on a new logo and website that will be easier to navigate and reflect our new identity. We look forward to sharing it with you as soon as it's complete.

• A new entrance and plaza: Ever since our aging pergola was removed, you've asked what would take its place--and now we have the answer! Coming this fall, a bright and beautiful new entrance and vestibule will welcome you into the library--plus, you'll be able to relax and enjoy the outdoors, attend events, and meet friends in a spacious new plaza. More details on the way!

Like what we're up to? Drop us a line to let us know, and please consider supporting the library with a one-time or recurring donation, by volunteering, or showing your support in other ways.

Thank you for reading and best wishes for a safe and healthy year.
Watch for the next regular issue of BELONG in early February!

© 2025 Emmaus Public Library | www.emmauspl.org | 610-965-9284