June is named after the Roman goddess Juno, patroness of marriage and the well-being of women. June’s birthstone is the pearl, and the flower is the rose. Some observances in June are: Adopt-a-Cat Month, Audiobook Appreciation Month, Great Outdoor Month, Dairy Month, National Iced Tea Month, National Zoo and Aquarium Month, Outdoor Marketing Month, Perennial Gardening Month, and World Roller Coaster Appreciation Month.

The Library’s June Newsletters are available for pick up at the circulation desk, featuring an article from the Library Director, Cindy Scheu, Summer Reading information, and a list of June’s events. Be sure to stop by and pick up a copy.

Summer Reading 2026 has officially started! Patrons of all ages (including adults) can enroll using the Beanstack App. To register and track your progress, download the Beanstack App, available on the Apple Store or Google Play. Search for the Jamerson Library and sign up each participant by following the instructions and answering a few simple questions on the App. If you have any difficulties registering/logging on, come to the circulation desk with your device and a friendly staff member will be happy to help you. We will be featuring dinosaurs, archaeology, paleontology, adventurers, scientists, fossils, rocks, gardening and more!

Just in time for the Summer Reading Program, the Library has switched out their outdoor photo booth display. This month we are featuring a dinosaurs! Come take selfies with friends and family, post them on your social media accounts and tag us! The Library changes out the photo booth monthly or seasonally as a fun, interactive way for patrons and visitors to enhance their visit to Downtown Appomattox.

A huge shout out to Sweet Sarah’s Bakery for sponsoring a fundraising event on behalf of the Jamerson Library by giving a portion of her sales on Wednesday, May 27th, to the Library. She sold cookies and other sweets out of her trademark vintage trailer in the Library’s parking lot. Once again we would like to thank her for her dedication in supporting the Library!

Jamerson Memorial Library has plenty of herb, flower, and vegetable seeds to choose from in our Seed Library. We have replenished zucchini and have added bergamot, butterfly & hummingbird wildflower mix, Cape Forget-Me-Not, echinacea (purple coneflowers), English lavender, and lemon balm seeds. Patrons are allowed 3 seed selections per week, per household while supplies last. If you have any extra seeds, we encourage you to bring them in, to share.

In the Navy you can sail the seven seas, or read to the kids at the Jamerson Library’s Story & Craft Time. On Wednesday, May 27th, our guest reader was MMN1 Ian McConnell from the Lynchburg office of the US Navy. He read the book “Hats are NOT for CATS!” by Jacqueline K. Rayner. A big, severe, plaid-hat-wearing dog insists that the small black cat in the red fez shouldn’t be wearing a hat—any kind of hat—because hats are for dogs. His patronizing tirade doesn’t convince this cat, however. Defiantly, she wears an assortment of hats, described in the gleeful rhyming text, and brings in other cats to join the protest. The kids enjoyed snacks while making their own hats with dog and cat stickers, markers and lots of other embellishments. This is the last weekly Story & Craft Time until Wednesday, August 19th, at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. But do not fear! We have lots of other activities, events, movies, programs and special guests throughout the months of June and July.

On Saturday, June 13th, the Jamerson Library had the honor of being chosen to be a host library for TED Democracy Live! We will livestream TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures to help connect communities across the country to the vital conversations about the future of democracy taking place in Philadelphia during America’s 250th birthday celebrations. This daylong symposium features 15+ brand-new TED Talks focused on the evolution and future of democracy, streaming live from Philadelphia during America’s 250th anniversary. Join us for big ideas, thoughtful conversation and a shared civic moment. Free and open to the public!  This program will be broken down into three sessions. Session 1 will be from 11 AM to 12:30 PM EDT. Session 2 will be from 2 PM to 3:30 PM EDT, and Session 3 will be from 4 PM to 5:30 PM EDT.

In observance of the Juneteenth Holiday, the Library will be closed on Friday, June 19th. We will reopen for normal business hours on Saturday, June 20, starting at 9:30 am. Please do not leave library-owned materials on the free rack located at the main entrance. The Library is not responsible for materials left on this rack.

The Library may be closed on Friday, June 19th, but we will be a guest vendor at Appomattox for Equality’s 2026 Juneteenth Celebration “Honoring the Past – Celebrating the Present – Building the Future” from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm at the Carver Price Cultural Center at 106 Patricia Anne Lane in Appomattox. Juneteenth is the oldest national commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States and guests of all races, nationalities and religions will come together for reflection, rejoicing, assessment and self-improvement. This event is FREE for the community to attend. There will be live entertainment, Kuumba Dance Ensemble, 360 photo booth, Juneteenth Bingo, arts and crafts, 50/50 raffle, various vendors, and Walker’s Fish & Chicken and more.

In observance of the Independence Day Holiday, the Library will be closed on Friday, July 3rd, and Saturday, July 4th. We will reopen for normal business hours on Monday, July 6, starting at 9:30 am. The book drop located at the back of the building will remain open at this time. Please do not leave library-owned materials on the free rack located at the main entrance. The Library is not responsible for materials left on this rack.

If you have any questions or concerns about this article or other library-related topics, please feel free to call us during normal business hours.

The Library receives a steady supply of new and donated items and would like to highlight the following items: