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Spooky stories

PBS shows and trick or treat featured at Ferry library

MARTINS FERRY — Children can trick or treat and watch their favorite shows on PBS at the Belmont County District Library in Martins Ferry to celebrate Halloween.

A holiday event for people of all ages will take place from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 19 at 20 S. Fifth St. in Martins Ferry. The event will have trick or treat stations upstairs with a PBS special show in the auditorium. Crafts and goodies will be available for the children to take home. ​PBS is sending treat bags and Halloween-themed fake tattoos and resources to the library for the event.

This event is through a partnership with the library and WQED and PBS. WQED and PBS created Inquire Within that creates partnerships between libraries and WQED.

Children’s Librarian Anessa Keifer said the library is one of the few libraries that WQED and PBS reached out to. On that list is the Puskarich Public Library in Harrison County as well.

“To be part of this partnership, I mean, it really means a lot to me, because it gives me more tools to just reach kids because it is PBS and WQED,” Keifer said. “They are resources that have been expertly vetted. So, I know that they can be trusted.”

Keifer knows they can be trusted because of the age-appropriate shows that PBS presents, which is really important, she said.

“You can set your kid down in front of the television, and sometimes you don’t know what’s going to come on TV. But if you put them in front of PBS, you know it’s going to be some sort of wholesome (show).”

This partnership is funded by the EQT Foundation. Keifer said she uses this partnership all year long as well, sending out a lot of PBS resources with the storytime parents and outreach teachers.

“It really is my goal to just get PBS and the wonderful early literacy and socio emotional resources to my community,” Keifer said. “I think without this partnership, that would be very, very difficult.”

Keifer’s goal is to eventually expand the partnership to all of the Belmont County District Library’s branches.

Keifer encourages all of the children to dress up in costumes but emphasizes no scary ones are permitted. All children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult as well.

Keifer hopes this event will be bigger and better than last year, though the event usually has a good turnout because “everyone loves Halloween,” she said.

“I had a really solid turnout last year, and there were a lot of great costumes,” she said. “And I just know these kids are so creative. I want to know what they come up with next.”

Keifer believes it’s important for the library to hold events like this because the staff can keep in contact with the community and see what’s going on in people’s lives, especially with children’s lives because a lot of people that come to the Halloween event are families from school and not just storytime families. She said this event opens up the library to a broader range of people.

Keifer said events like this show the community the library is a safe and fun place to go.

“There are knowledgeable and caring people here,” she said. “I’m not afraid to have a little bit of fun. Ultimately, I want the community to know that we are more than just books and just the one off program. We have a lot to provide, and we would love it if people took us up on it.”

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