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Program days at local libraries are truly a sight to behold.

Once bland walls come alive with cut-out paper masterpieces of colors. Frantic library staff hurry to make the final touches to the area before guests start piling in. And the children. Oh, the children. Dozens upon dozens of pint-sized, hyperactive youngsters turn the quiet confinements of the library into a playground as their parents attempt, often in vain, to settle them into the very image of politeness.

But just wait until the main event comes out.

This summer, both the Hogansville Public Library and the Hogansville Public Library played host to some amazing visitors for its summer program. Children at LaGrange got to learn the art of traditional hula dancing one day, and then the true definition of ‘a balancing act’ with a visit from Crescent Circus the next.

Meanwhile, patrons in Hogansville learned about the area’s rivers thanks to a visit from Chattahoochee Riverkeepers and earlier this week, Ironstead P. Zoo in Hogansville helped them get in touch with their wild sides with the help of several furry, scaley and feathered friends.

These were only some of the programs the library brought to our community so far this summer and it’s only one of the programs it offers as a way to further entertain and educate our children. The library can often be seen as a resource that is taken for granted or even scoffed at by those who don’t frequent it. But for the parents and children who attend its programs throughout the year or simply stop in to find their next bedtime story, it’s a haven. A capsule of endless memories and adventures.

Within the next year or so ⁠— hopefully ⁠— the LaGrange Memorial Library will move into its newly renovated home. Current designs note there will be an expansive community room for its programs, yet another testament to how the library has its youngest patrons in mind.

Whether it’s in a shiny, renovated building or even in a stopgap location, libraries of all caliber deserve to be given the same love and support they give their patrons every single day.