By Anne Finlay-Stewart

Friday night at the public library you couldn't find a single shushing librarian in the place. As a matter of fact, they were playing ukeleles and leading a holiday sing-along that could only be described as delightfully cacophonous.

This is the first year that the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library has had programming on the opening night of the Festival of Northern Lights. The staff made the decision collectively, and they were pleased by the warm response from the public.

The Library welcomed visitors all evening, whether they came to sing, make crafts with their children, or just to warm up and use the facilities. Many came to see the decorated wreaths that are on silent auction until November 22 as part of the Festival's fundraising. Some were clearly in the building for the first time in a long time.

Up in the second floor children's services, Sandcastle Theatre delivered a taste of their upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast. The tables were full of buttons, beads, acorns and paint which were carried proudly out the door as cards and ornaments.

Then there were the ukeleles around the fireplace in the Carnegie wing. Kids and grown-ups alike were jingling bells and beating drums as they urged the ukelele-strumming library staff through every song in their repertoire.

And all evening there was the usual rhythm of every hour the library doors are open- tutors working with adults preparing for exams, librarians answering questions, neighbours having conversations, someone reading the newspaper, another looking for a weekend movie.
A public space being well used just as it should. Plus ukeleles.

Anne Finlay-Stewart is Community Editor of Owensoundhub.org. She can be reached at [email protected].