By Johnna Pinholster
VALDOSTA — Snow White, Batman and various other princesses and superheroes were at the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library on Saturday to gather treats, catch a fright and even read a book or two.
The Seventh Annual Fall Festival was a major hit with kids and adults with all attending getting into the spirit by wearing costumes and celebrating the cooler weather.
But the festival almost didn’t happen.
The economic downturn combined with already decreasing budgets had library workers fretting over the future of the festival.
While the local budget for the library had gone up by four percent, Little said, the state has cut funding for the library by 40 percent, said Halley Little, South Georgia Regional Library Community Relations Coordinator.
Many libraries chose to cancel their fall festivals, but the local library decided to explore other avenues in making the event happen, she said.
“The festival is usually funded entirely through the library’s budget,” Little said.
In the past the budget for the festival was between $200 and $300. This year, with the monetary and prop donations, the cost of the festival exceeded $3,000, with the library spending no money to provide the event to the community, Little said.
The library solicited businesses and other organizations to raise money and recruit volunteers to help make the festival successful.
A $3,000 grant from Target, the help of the Humane Society, donations from Spencer’s, H & S Supply, Southern Gardens, Valdosta Monument Company, Music Funeral Services and Anastasias all helped make the festival a reality, Little said.
The Target grant will also be used to help promote literacy at all six branches of the South Georgia Regional Library, Little said.
Grandparent Cynthia Bramlett brought her grandchildren out to the festival and even got into the spirit by donning a Dr. Suess-inspired hat.
With the economy in shambles, events like this are important for the community and to keep people coming to the library, Bramlett said.
In the past the event has been very child-focused, but with the help of the outside sources the library was able to expand and offer something for everyone, Little said.
Children’s librarian Christie Paulk was dressed as Snow White, a fact that many of the little girls loved.
“They come and say ‘Snow White, Snow White I saw you in the movie!,’ ” Paulk said.
In addition to Paulk reading a scary story to the children, author Glenn Simmions read his new book “My Father’s Work” to a captive audience.
In an attempt to bring teenagers to the library, the House of Horror, a haunted house for kids 13 and up, proved too much for some, with many screaming before they even stepped foot inside the door.
“This is an important event for the library,” Paulk said. “We are more than just a repository for books and information; we are a community involvement center and if people do not come in the information does not come out.”
The event is a way for people who may not usually come to the library to be lured in and maybe even get a library card before leaving, Paulk said.
