On  Thursday, Sept. 8, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Washington Parish Reading Association will be meeting at the Franklinton branch of the Washington Parish Library. During this event, there will be poetry readings and readings of original works by award-winning students throughout the parish.

The day is also International Literacy Day, a day set aside to promote interest in reading. This year’s theme is “The sky is the limit!,” as sponsored by the World Literacy Foundation and UNESCO. Since this proclamation, schools, communities and organizations have united around the world on this day to raise awareness in the hope that it will enable increased accessibility to literacy and education throughout the world.

Speaking of September, it marks the beginning of National Library Sign-Up Month. During the month of September the Washington Parish Library will actively promote card registration and membership in the Friends of the Washington Parish Library. The library offers many tangible benefits to its users: free access to online materials (Homework Louisiana, Pronunciator Languages, Learning Express Library), free use of computers and free wifi. Many of these tools, if bought separately on the market would cost hundreds of dollars, but are available to residents of the parish.

Recenlty, Mrs. Joan Kennedy, of the Washington Parish Reading Association was in the library to present a copy of her book “Love, Laughter and Living: Receiving and Sharing Poems from the Heart,” as a donation. The book is a work of inspirational poems that Mrs. Kennedy has written over many years and has been compiled into one volume.  The poems reflect a love of God, life and are written as an appeal to the better angels of our nature as beings that live in the light of His word.

On a final note, the Friends of the Washington Parish Library will be hosting, on Oct. 1, the third annual book festival. This year’s focus will be on the literature of childhood through the ages.

There will be adult authors, of which Mrs. Kennedy will be present. The book festival is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Should you have any questions about this or other library events, please feel free to call 985-839-7806.

Al Barron is the parish librarian for the Washington Parish Library System.