Library donates books for newborns

AMENIA — With money donated from the sale of the Amenia Day Nursery building, the Amenia Free Library has purchased 50 books for the maternity ward at Sharon Hospital, to be distributed to the families of hospital newborns.

Miriam Devine, Amenia’s resident librarian, and library Children’s Activities Director Lesley Gyorsok, met at the hospital last week to present the books to Jim Hutchinson, the hospital’s community health coordinator, and Kim Lumia, chief nursing officer and director of the Obstetrics Unit.

“This is great,� said Hutchinson. “The mothers love it, and I think it’s another contribution that typifies the country hospital.�

Gyorsok, who happens to be pregnant herself, shopped around Oblong Books & Music in Millerton, looking for a suitable title. After hesitating over the reliable favorite “Goodnight Moon,� she settled on “On the Night You Were Born� by Nancy Tillman, whose thick baby-ready pages depict the fantastical celebrations that accompany the arrival of a newborn.

The library’s board of directors purchased 50 copies of the book, which will be given out to the families of the next 50 babies born at Sharon Hospital. Lumia said there are approximately 250 births at the hospital each year, so the books, which will be distributed along with the traditional teddy bear that the hospital presents to families, should last well into the summer.

“There are a couple of moms with babies currently, so I’m going to head over there with the books now,� announced Lumia. Devine and Gyorsok could not pass up the opportunity.

The lucky family to get the first copy, personally presented to them by the Amenia Free Library, was Kevin and Sara Taylor, whose son, Jaxon, was born two days earlier.

One down, 49 to go.

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