Meanwhile, Kensington residents are rallying behind an effort to keep the historic Noyes Children’s Library open in the face of ongoing county budget deliberations. The library, founded by Washington Star publisher Alfred Noyes in cooperation with Brainard Warner in 1893, is slated to close in July for a two-year renovation to meet federal disability access standards.
The Noyes Children’s Library Foundation, which orchestrated a successful drive to prevent closure of the library in the 1990′s through a public-private partnership with Montgomery County, has stepped up with a plan to raise funds to keep Noyes open while the renovation plans are reviewed.
The children’s library–the only one of its kind in the county and one of only three public libraries dedicated to children in the US–is located adjacent to Warner Circle Manor and Park, and has been a favorite of generations of area parents, grandparents and young children.
If the Foundation’s proposal is approved by the County Council, the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation will be looking for volunteers to help organize events and activities, such as a Storybook Parade for children, and fundraising efforts such as a direct mail campaign and a gala auction. If you would like to volunteer, or to receive occasional e-mails from the Foundation with news and announcements of upcoming events, please contact Jan Jablonski at janjablonski@msn.com. You may also look for the latest “News on Noyes” as we post it on www.kensingtonhistory.org!