On June 15, local volunteers joined Mad River Path executive director Ross Saxton to install 20 permanent StoryWalk display signs along the Warren Path segment of the Mad River Path. The StoryWalk Project was developed by Ann Ferguson of Montpelier in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library as a way to encourage families to combine literacy with outdoor activities.
In a StoryWalk, children’s books are displayed page by page along a walking trail so families can enjoy the story as they stroll. The Warren Path installation will feature a rotating display of children’s books to be changed seasonally and may also be used to exhibit art and writings by local students.
The StoryWalk installation is a collaboration between the Warren Public Library and the Mad River Path and is funded by a grant from the Vermont Department of Libraries and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) with additional funds from the Friends of the Warren Library and the Warren School PTO.
“For several years we’ve pounded wooden stakes in the ground and battled the wind and weather to keep storybook pages attached so when the opportunity arose for the library to receive American Recovery Plan Act funds through IMLS, we jumped at the chance to purchase posts and steel frames, said Warren Library director Marie Schmukal. The library invites community members to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 2, at 3 p.m. at the Warren Path trailhead. A children’s book will be on display, refreshments will be served, and children will receive a take-home craft.
