RUMFORD — The Public Library will hold a holiday celebration from Dec. 17 to Jan. 1, giving patrons an opportunity to win baskets filled with gifts.

Luke Sorenson, director of the library, said he came up with the idea to offer baskets filled with prizes three years ago. The library offers three baskets: one for adults, one for teenagers and one for younger children. Each is filled with gifts donated by the community. 

“This year, the Friends of the Library, a local nonprofit group, donated gifts to us,” Sorenson said. “We also received well over 20 books to put in the baskets from James Meader of Picador Publishing.”

Sorenson added that the donations from residents in the area have been very good.

“We had one resident who actually donated a Nook for the adult basket,” Sorenson said, referring to the Barnes and Noble eReader. “Pretty much everything in each of the baskets was donated by members of our community. We’ve done pretty well this year.”

The adult and teenage baskets will contain a Nook, while the children’s basket will contain holiday-themed books, such as “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” as well as candy and hot chocolate mix. Sorenson said those with a library card will be entered for a chance to win with every checkout they make.

Sorenson also said that on Dec. 19, as part of the holiday celebration, Mrs. Claus will be visiting the library during its weekly story time for preschool students.

The holiday celebration is one of many events the library has offered the past few years.

“We do something similar to this on Halloween,” Sorenson said. “We did a Valentine’s celebration last February, which we might do again in 2013.” 

Sorenson said the holiday celebration not only offers prizes for the residents, but “acts as a way to bring more patrons to the library and keep people reading.”

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