PeoplesBank Awards $10,000 to Springfield Library Summer Reading Program

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Library Foundation and PeoplesBank announced a $10,000 grant from the bank to support the Springfield City Library’s Summer Reading Program.

Thanks to this grant, this year’s program, called Level Up at Your Library, will feature greatly expanded activities for children and other users throughout the city of Springfield at the library’s nine locations as well as with other community partners.

“We are very grateful to PeoplesBank for their stalwart support of the library,” said Matt Blumenfeld, executive director of the Springfield Library Foundation. “PeoplesBank’s investment matches funds that come directly from the Library Foundation and will provide the City Library with critical resources to expand outreach and impact of this vital and fun program.”

Added Rachel Gravel, the library’s manager of Adult & Youth Information Services, “this summer, our mantra is ‘one million reading minutes.’ We have set an ambitious goal and want to increase participation in the program to 3,000 children, youth, and adults this summer.”

Matt Bannister, PeoplesBank’s senior vice president of Corporate Responsibility, formally presented the grant to the Springfield Library Foundation.

“Our commitment to the community is demonstrated through volunteerism and financial support, and we see this grant as an investment in encouraging and inspiring new generations of lifelong learners and readers,” he said. “We are proud to support the Library Foundation and, in turn, the City Library to expand their reach and impact.”

The Summer Reading Program will host all-ages kickoff events throughout June, with a system-wide Adult Summer Reading Kick-off party on Thursday, June 12 at the Mason Square Branch. The program will conclude with a big all-ages, city-wide End of Summer Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 23.

Among the many activities made possible by PeoplesBank’s grant will be music classes, musical petting zoos, story city series, mobile arcade, VR experiences, RPG and board game clubs, bingo, and escape rooms. Children and teens will get a free book of their choice with sign-up, and there will be weekly prizes and celebrations throughout the summer as participants track minutes read to reach the one million minutes goal. All participation is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.springfieldlibrary.org.