Classy Senior Citizens experience library adventure

By Ethel J. Williams

Special to The Lowndes Signal

The White Hall Public Library conducted its annual summer library program June 3 – July 12 and presented a special program aimed at encouraging local seniors to partake of adventures available through their local library.

The Classy Senior Citizens, a community group of senior adults, meets twice a week at the Town of White Hall Municipal Complex to share ideas while engaging in activities and programs that target their age range for life lessons and fellowship.

On June 10, the group enjoyed a program themed “Adventures Begin at Your Library presented by Courtney Pinkard, reference coordinator and Christian Wysmulek, education curator from the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The presentation dealt with the role maps played in our history to chart our adventure at the library.

Pinkard’s presentation was an exploration of the history and purpose of fire insurance maps. The art of fire insurance mapping began in the 1860s and still provides a snapshot of what Alabama’s cities and towns have looked like through the years. Pinkard provided several local examples of fire insurance maps as well as historical notes about the mapped locations.

The senior adults were encouraged to make use of the library’s resources — free wireless internet, computer searches, Homework Alabama, the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL), checking out books for information, ancestry research and pleasure reading. Participants were asked to tell their families and neighbors about the services.

All senior adults received gift incentive bags which included bookmarks, mouse pads, AVL lanyards, brochures about Alabama State Parks, Adventure Times Newspapers, Managing Local and State Records in Alabama booklets and theme activity books. Refreshments were provided by the Classy Senior Citizens.

After the presentations, the library staff returned to the main library to continue its regular operation.

Ethel J. Williams is curator and director of the White Hall Public Library.