Assistant Library Director Alana Knapp, left, sets up crafting supplies. Library staff and community members gathered Feb. 8 for a festive Valentine’s Day card-making event with inclusive treats at Treat Memorial Library in Livermore Falls. Rebecca Richard/Franklin Journal

LIVERMORE FALLS — Community members gathered at Treat Memorial Library Feb. 8 for “Cookies and Cards,” a drop-in crafting event designed to spread creativity and kindness ahead of Valentine’s Day.

The event, hosted by library director Brianna Rush, assistant director Alana Knapp and library employee Ell Rosenbaum, invited participants to create handmade Valentine’s Day cards for friends and family while enjoying an assortment of cookies, including vegan and dairy-free options.

Knapp said the library favors “drop-in” events to allow flexibility for attendees. She said they like to set up events this way so people can stop by when they have time and even take home crafts if they aren’t able to finish them at the library.

Tables were filled with supplies, including doilies, cardstock, glue sticks, markers, paints and themed Valentine’s Day cards–some dating back decades. Among the nostalgic finds were classic Winnie the Pooh cards and vintage Crocodile Hunter Valentines.

Rush, Rosenbaum, and Knapp all participated in the crafting, with Rush and Rosenbaum working on cards for their friends and families. Knapp contributed creatively designed cards resembling old cassette tapes.

A variety of cookies were available for attendees, with vegan and dairy-free options ensuring inclusivity for those with dietary restrictions. “It was such a nice touch for people with food restrictions,” one participant said.

In addition to the crafting event, Treat Memorial Library is promoting its “Blind Date with a Book” display, featuring wrapped books adorned with doilies, hearts, and rhyming clues about their hidden contents. Readers are encouraged to check out a book based solely on the description, unveiling their literary “date” only after borrowing it.

One example read, “These are the memories of a global icon, so much happens…and it’s only part one!”
The initiative, a popular feature at libraries nationwide, encourages readers to explore new genres and authors.

The library is also celebrating Black History Month with themed book displays. The teen and adult selection is inspired by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s exhibit on Afrofuturism, while the middle grade and juvenile section introduces readers to Black history.

Other upcoming events include:
• Homeschool Group: Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 11:30 a.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 1 p.m. Activities will include learning and creative play.
• Book Club: Thursday, Feb. 13, at 3 p.m., discussing The Princess Bride by William Goldman as part of the Romantic Reads series. An in-person meeting with a Zoom option is available.
• Lego Explorers: Saturday, Feb. 15, at 10:30 a.m. Participants can take on a building challenge or create their own vision, with completed works displayed in the library for the month.

Additionally, the library introduced a new bookmark design for February, created by patron Tlee Tryon. It is available for people to take home and you can check it out online as well.

For more information on events and activities, visit the Treat Memorial Library Facebook page.