I moved here during peak pandemic with my then toddler. She was barely walking the first time we visited the Dormann Library. By age 3, all of the librarians knew her name. By age 4, she completed the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program and attended Storytime nearly every week. At age 7, my homeschooler is independently reading chapter books and her vocabulary is often regarded as advanced for her age. She learned how to read by reading and the library has given us the tools. It is a skill that will propel her for the rest of her life.
As a homeschooler, there are minimal opportunities for my child to feel like she is a part of the community. The library has given her a sense of belonging through engaging staff and programming. While some of the programs she has attended have given her friendships, many have also supplemented her education. The library has been a place of growth and encouraging a thirst for knowledge.
Dormann Library has been the foundation of my daughter’s early childhood. They have watched her develop into a thoughtful and kind human who serves her community by picking up trash and planting new life. While I have thanked them regularly for their place in raising my child, they may be less privy to their impact on my life too.
I am a disabled combat veteran and used my VA loan to buy my home here in the village. I moved here during a historic stressful time and did so as a solo parent. I was in search of a meaningful future for my small family. I was afraid and alone and had no idea what I was doing as a homeowner or a parent. Between the library’s warmth, programming and resources, they have given me the confidence to not only provide, but to thrive. They gave me hope where I saw none. They gave me a hug when I felt like I was lost. Dormann Library makes my house in Bath, NY, a home. I am so proud to contribute to a Library that is not only attentive to the community’s needs, but willing to change with the younger generation to accommodate a worthy future. This vote matters to our sense of community and our quality of homeschool education. Please come out June 2nd and vote.
– Justine Gauda