Most people connect summertime with the beach, barbeques and vacation. When school's out I always think of the library.

The library was my summer haven. Most kids in our neighborhood went to Scout Camps or vacation bible school, so we were hanging out most of the summer. And on those particularly hot days the library was one of the few air-conditioned places to go if you didn't want to make a 45 minute ride to the closest mall.

These days a weekly trip to the library is on my family calendar. My son uses the computer and explores new books. I check out the magazine selection for ideas and inspiration. My husband digs into the financial publications.

Our new library has become a hub of community activities.They are even adding a coffee bar soon. All kinds of local and state publications and meeting notices are displayed. Added meeting rooms provide spaces for clubs to gather. Last week there was a group of women knitting together in one room and across the library, a group of children-Scouts, I think, doing a paper craft project.

In the children's library, the notices promoted story time indicated that after the reading, children would participate in a related craft project. Many of the titles in the "new book" section were craft and home decor books.

If your community is like mine, the library is a great place to promote crafts. If you haven't visited your local library lately- check it out and see how you can support their efforts. For ideas read the featured article at www.cnamag.com for ideas on how you can support your local library and at the same time encourage more participation in crafts.--Beth