Bookmark Contest Winners

As part of National Library Week, the Palmerton Area Library held its annual Bookmark Contest open to all preschool and elementary students in the area.The winners were chosen for originality and best library promotion. Three winners were chosen in each of three age levels.Preschool and kindergarten winners were as follows: First place, Jayen Gursky, Parkside Education Center; second place, Clair Frank, Parkside, and third place, Shen Denardo, Peters Elementary; grades 1-3, first place, Yesmine Olewine, Towamensing Elementary, second place, Thomas Quintero, Parkside, third place, Sebastian Hunsicker, Towamensing; grades 4-6, first place, Kelsi Blichar, S.S. Palmer Elementary, second place, Alyssa Olewine, Towamensing, third place, Danielle Stetler, Towamensing.Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all the students who shared their art work and creative ideas on their entries.The winning bookmark designs have been made into bookmarks which are available at the checkout desk at the Palmerton Area Library.Each winner also received a book and a gift certificate for the basement book sale at the library.Homework Helpers programThe newly organized "Homework Helpers" program at the library will continue through the end of May.Students who need a little extra help with math, spelling words, reading, special projects, and so on, may come to the library Wednesdays after school until 4:30 p.m.Volunteer tutors (teachers, retired teachers and high school students) will work with the students on a one-to-one basis.This program is free for the students, but parents should register their students by calling the library at 610-826-3424 and students must bring their own assignments to work on.Anyone interested in volunteering as a tutor should also call the library and ask for Mariann.Annual fund driveThe library is currently conducting its Annual Fund Drive.In the past two years, library funding from the state has been cut by 30-percent, so local support is extremely important at this time.If the library cannot maintain $5 per capita in local funding, it may have to cut hours and curtail programs for the coming year.Last year, local municipalities and the school district contributed $2 per capita, and local donations made up the rest.MiscellaneousThe Palmerton Area Library is open Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.There are six computers available for the public, as well as fax and color copy service. The library has hundreds of DVD's available for a two-week check out period.Check the website at

www.palmertonarealibrary.com for the newest books and DVD's.