NORWAY — Norway Memorial Library and SAD 17 announced that Annika Black, Norway Memorial Library Children’s Librarian, and Cindy Petherbridge, SAD 17 District Elementary Librarian, have been awarded a Curiosity Creates grant by The Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association.

Nationally, 79 libraries from 30 states received this grant. This was the only Curiosity Creates grant awarded in the state of Maine.

The Curiosity Creates grant allows the public library and the local school district the opportunity to collaborate in offering children ages 6 to 14 the chance to explore and learn along with Maine authors. Four authors will each visit two of the eight elementary schools in the district. The authors will also each present a program offered by the Norway Memorial Library that will be open to the public.

The first program will be with with Matt Tavares and is from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Guy E. Rowe cafeteria. All of the public library programs presented for this program are free and inter-generational.

As noted by ALSC president, Andrew Medlar, “Children are naturally curious and the act of creating is vital to their development, so ALSC is particularly grateful to Disney and especially excited to offer this incredible opportunity to support our members’ work in public libraries, where families can engage their creativity unlike anyplace else in the community.”