Florida Public Library installs StoryWalk® at Golden Hill School

Florida Public Library is pleased to announce the installation of a StoryWalk® at Golden Hill Elementary School located at 478 Round Hill Road in Florida.

StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children and adults to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time.

Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden posts, which are installed along an outdoor path.

As walkers stroll down the trail, they are directed to the next page in the story.

StoryWalk® was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed with the help of Rachel Senechal from the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

StoryWalks® have been installed in 50 states and 13 countries, including Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea.

Located along a section of the cross-country course behind the elementary school, FPL’s StoryWalk® consists of 15 four-foot by four-foot wood posts displaying laminated pages of a picture book.

Local content

Florida’s StoryWalk® kicked off with a very special book, “S is for Suplex,” illustrated by Golden Hill’s own art teacher, Nick Camia.

Currently on display is “A Special Christmas Tree” by Florida resident and author Ed Finnerty that celebrates last year’s Rockefeller Center tree which was provided by a Florida family.

The library will continue to change the stories and hopes to have student artwork displayed throughout the year.

Local contractor donates services and materials

Local contractor Bob Verblaauw donated his services, as well as some of the materials needed, and he and a group of teen volunteers were responsible for the installation of the project.

“We very much appreciate Mr. Verblaauw’s supervision of this project and his generous donation of labor and materials” said library director Madelyn Folino. “The StoryWalk® is yet one more way that the library is meeting Florida residents out in the community. This completes the trio of outreach efforts we organized this fall.”

Only the latest project

Other recent FPL projects included the placement of two Little Free Libraries on Main Street and the debut of a Library of Things which offers patrons a wide range of useful, unusual and entertaining objects to borrow.

Residents are invited to visit the StoryWalk® on the weekends and when school is not in session.

For more information, call the library at (845) 651-7659 or visit www.floridapubliclibrary.org.