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excellent adventures as she fully embraces her Report of the retirement. Julie never failed to underscore the Mashpee Public Library importance of early childhood development and was a true advocate in the field, and ensured that it would To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the move forward under the able guidance of Leslie Hatton. Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: This year also brought more fun, games, and brain-building courtesy of our partners at the Cape Cod On behalf of the Library Staff,Board of Trustees, Children's Museum. Barbara Cotton and her staff and Friends of the Mashpee Public Library, I am celebrated 25 years of growth and achievement,and we pleased to submit the 2015 Annual Report. were fortunate to join forces to develop Story Walks and programs with them at our side. The prospect of a The American Library Association's new new and expanded Children's Museum located initiative "The Promise of Libraries Transforming adjacent to the Library is a dream for the future that Communities," aligns with the goals of their national will enable us to provide new opportunities to cultivate strategic plan to lead the transformation of libraries and 21st Century Learning Skills. library services in a dynamic and increasingly global digital information environment. This new initiative Our collection of materials continued to grow in encourages libraries across the nation to assist their scope and depth this year as new titles were purchased communities in finding innovative solutions by in a wide array of formats, including print and advancing library-led community engagement. With electronic books, audiobooks, DVDs, music, this mandate, during 2015, the Library continued to videogames,and magazines. Our online offerings were turn outward, and develop new partnerships with expanded to include free access to the Universal Class community groups and organizations. products, which allows patrons to enroll in online During the past year,the Library staff has worked classes in topics ranging from interior design to with the Mashpee Historic Commission and Town computer skills and cooking. There are opportunities for learning and enrichment for all ages, and all Clerk's office,and secured assistance from the state to interests,which can be accessed by simply using your aid the Commissioners with the shared goal of Mashpee library card. preserving the Town's heritage and historic documents and artifacts. Youth Services programs for children and "tweens" were as popular as ever with a mix of new We partnered with the Mashpee Chamber of offerings and traditional favorites. Storywalks,Trick or Commerce and Wampanoag Tribe to host the ground- Treating for Books and the Birthday Scavenger Hunt breaking "Captured: 1614" exhibit. This exhibit tells kept little feet moving around the building in search of the story of the kidnapping of twenty Native men from books,stories and treats. The older set was challenged Patuxet (the later site of Plymouth village), one of by science and technology programs featuring Game whom was Squanto.It brings to light a piece of history Design, Robots on the Run, and Raspberry Pi circuit that had a monumental effect on the Wampanoag tribe, making. Summer reading soared to new levels of their relationship with the Pilgrims,and the founding of participation lead by the staff and students at the Plymouth Colony,and the Library was honored to play Quashnet School. Gone were the required reading lists a role in sharing this story with the community. and mandatory summer homework assignments, and Our long-standing tradition of collaborating with instead students were encouraged to read for pleasure the Mashpee Schools through the Mashpee Family and and fun. What a difference it made! A record setting Community Engagement program continued to set the 384 Quashnet students read for 305,420 minutes, or standard for outreach to our youngest residents. The over 5000 hours during the summer.One hundred and program allowed the Library to bring educational and forty-four students read for over 900 minutes, and literacy programs such as Lap Babies, Creative qualified for a free trip to LEGOLAND courtesy of the Movement,and Toddle Time to our pre-school patrons. Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. We It was with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to long- expect even more participation next summer with a time program coordinator,Julie Hall, and wished her Summer reading theme tied into fitness and the upcoming Olympics. 115