PCPL Book Walk hosted at local parks

Friday, September 11, 2015

Putnam County Public Library has organized an event to get people outside while also following a story.

The Friends of the Library, Friends of the Park and DePauw University have partnered to host the Book Walk, starting Monday during the daylight hours. The event will continue through at least Friday, with the library considering expanding it through the weekend.

Conni Wrightsman, who works at the library's circulation desk, partnered with Outreach Librarian Lesley Stimpert to organize the event at DePauw Nature Park's Woodland Trail No. 1 and Robe-Ann Park.

"Rosie's Walk" by Pat Hutchins will be at both locations. Due to the gravel at Woodland Trail, the librarians wanted to provide a second option for those who have mobility issues. The Book Walk at Robe-Ann Park will be on a concrete trail.

The event will feature single, laminated pages of "Rosie's Walk" along the trail, posted on stakes along the trails for children and families to view. She said Stimpert picked out the book because the bright colors and storyline are great for little children to follow.

"This leaves it open for everyone to take the trail at their own pace," she added.

Wrightsman said the book is about Rosie the hen taking a walk, during which time a fox is following her without the hen's knowledge.

"The kids love it because Rosie doesn't know what is going on, but they do," Wrightsman said.

Wrightsman said this event was inspired by the nationwide initiative called "Outside the Lines." The goal is to continue promoting reading, while also letting the community know the 21st-century library is not all about checking out books and using the Internet to peruse email.

"We want to take the library outside, but still involve literacy," Wrightsman explained.

She added the organizers were excited to work with Greencastle parks to present the Book Walk, and the goal in the future expand the project to other Putnam County towns.

"We have great parks here in Greencastle. We hope to do this again in the spring and we want to get into the other communities," Wrightsman added.

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