Bookworm Garden Level-Up at the Denmark Library

As we rounded our first year at Denmark Library, the youth team felt like we were missing an opportunity to fully utilize the outside spaces. We wanted to shift the focus back towards the educational intent behind the space’s design. In other words, it was time for a Bookworm Garden level–up! 

Our solution? Learning stations. 

Each month, we will rotate through three different types of activities:

Building Activity

This could be anything from blocks, giant magna tiles, or (my personal favorite) giant Lincoln logs. 

Magnetic Board

Our brand new magnetic board is brilliant and lets us do letter activities, magnetic ramp ball mazes, and gears. 

 

Pretend Play

We have lots of options for pretend play activities, including a fake grill and a washing machine complete with clothes to fold! 

 

These activities are meant to be fun educational opportunities first and foremost. We have designed instruction sheets for parents to learn how to use these activities as a collaborative learning experience. For example, our sandwich shop pretend play is an opportunity to learn how to sort, sequence, brainstorm, and more. This exemplifies just how important pretend play is for education!

Sarah Grace Moses
Youth Specialist
Denmark Library

Library Partners with USDA and Local Schools to Provide Free Summer Snacks for Kids and Teens

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CUMMING, Georgia (May 28, 2026) – Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) is thrilled to announce a new partnership aimed at keeping local youth fueled, healthy, and engaged this summer. In collaboration with the Forsyth County Schools Food and Nutrition Department, the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Cumming Library will provide nutritious snacks at no cost to children and teens June 1–July 15, 2026. 

The initiative tackles a critical gap in nutrition that often occurs when schools close for the summer. According to the Georgia Department of Education, approximately 15% of the student population in Forsyth County qualifies for free and reduced lunch services. Food insecurity directly impacts childhood development and education; hungry children face immense difficulties concentrating, their physical, social, and emotional well-being suffers, and they are less able to successfully participate in enriching educational and library activities. By creating an environment that couples nutrition with literacy, FCPL and its partners aim to ensure that every child in the community has the opportunity to succeed during the summer months.

"Our mission at FCPL has always been to foster a community that reads, learns, and grows together. However, we know that hungry kids can't read or focus. By partnering with federal, state, and local nutrition leaders, we aren't just feeding bodies—we are fueling minds. This program allows us to support the whole child during a time of year when families need it most," said FCPL Director Adrianne Junius. 

Program Details and Weekly Schedule

Snacks will be available at no cost to all children and teenagers ages 18 and under. There are no registration or eligibility requirements.

The program will run weekly at the Cumming Library located at 585 Dahlonega Street on the following days and times from June 1 to July 15, 2026: 

• Mondays: 12:30–1:30 p.m.
• Tuesdays: 12:00–1:00 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 3:00–4:00 p.m.

“A healthy snack can re-energize a child for an afternoon of summer reading and discovery. We hope families will come for the food and stay for the fun activities we have planned,” said Joan Dudzinski, Cumming Library Branch Manager. 

Guidelines for Attendance

In compliance with federal regulations, snacks are served on a first-come, first-served basis and must be eaten on the premises per USDA guidelines.

Forsyth County Public Library is an equal opportunity provider. For more information about the summer snack program or other upcoming summer events at the library, please visit ForsythPL.org or call 770-781-9840.

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ABOUT FORSYTH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) serves the residents of Forsyth County, Georgia, with five libraries, an administrative building, and a mobile library. FCPL’s mission is to connect the Forsyth County community with exceptional resources, spaces, and experiences. Known as “the busiest library in Georgia,” FCPL circulates more materials than any other public library system in the state. The Sharon Forks, Post Road, and Cumming Library branches hold the top three spots for highest physical circulations among all individual library locations in Georgia. 

Meet Kristen Prince—FCPL's Latest Library Limelight!

Get to know Kristen Prince, Collection Support Aide (CSA) at Sharon Forks Library, in the May 2026 Library Limelight!

Originally from Brownstown, Michigan, Kristen lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for twenty years before moving to Georgia in 2013. No matter where she moves to, one of her first priorities is always finding the local library. She has always loved the atmosphere and enjoyed taking her child to storytimes, and joined the Forsyth County Public Library team in 2022. 

If Kristen had to describe her role in five words or fewer, they would be: shelving, organizing, and helping. She feels that handling every book that passes through gives her a deep understanding of the collection—from new arrivals to the current favorites of both children and adults. In true CSA style, she is organization-obsessed. “A place for everything and everything in its place,” says Kristen.

Outside of work, Kristen enjoys reading, solving puzzle books (anywhere from crosswords to sudoku), going to concerts, and her biggest passion—tennis! She has played since high school, and loves that she can play year-round in the Georgia climate.

One of her favorite travel memories was a trip to Japan when she was 18. Her brother spent a year there to study abroad, so she visited for his graduation with their parents and traveled as a family. “It was beautiful, such a wonderfully different culture from ours. The people were so kind, and It helped immensely that my brother spoke Japanese! It was a trip I will never forget,” said Kristen.

While she enjoys a wide variety of genres, fantasy is her favorite. Right now she is reading the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence. Although there are no wrong answers when it comes to how one chooses to read, we had to ask: paper books, eBooks, or audiobooks? Her response was very clear—paper for the win!

Thank you, Kristen, for your hard work as a CSA in the busiest library in Georgia, and for giving us the opportunity to learn more about you! 

Sara Higgins 
Communications Specialist