Page County libraries report high summer participation, new programs and services

Library representatives from Shenandoah, Essex, Coin and another branch updated the Board of Supervisors on summer programs, attendance and new services.
Why it matters: County libraries reported strong program participation this summer, partnerships with nearby towns, and new digital tools that extend educational and test-prep resources to residents.
Terry Falk, of the Shenandoah Public Library, said the county’s libraries offered a 12-week summer reading program with a games theme and reported high engagement: Essex saw about 15 children at one program and widespread interest across events. Falk described a multi-level badge system used in Shenandoah’s program; 101 readers signed up, almost 800 badges were earned and 39 readers reached level 2 or higher.
Florinda/Clorinda-area and Coin representatives also reported robust participation: one branch had 196 children register, more than 9,000 minutes read and about 8,300 visits during the summer program. Libraries described partnerships with Tabor for shared presenters, a teacher meet-and-greet scheduled for Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. in Shenandoah, and upcoming events such as a lecture-recital about music from the Holocaust.
Libraries also highlighted new services available countywide: Momentrix, an online test-prep and tutoring resource accessible with a library card, and Novel Effect, an app that adds synchronized sound effects to read-aloud sessions to engage children. Representatives encouraged supervisors and residents to check local calendars for fall programs.