by Barbara Dixson
At the celebration of the arts contest winners in January, Sonja Kung fell into conversation with Jim Buchholz and Melissa Ruether. Sonja is part of the Nature Buffs book group with six other women, and the idea percolated up to bring the wonderful books they had read together to a corner of the Visitor Center, where anyone who stops by can check one out. As Leslie McClain explained to me recently, with the go-ahead from Jim and Melissa, the Nature Buffs were inspired to go all in on this project “from the heart.”
Leslie is pictured above with Deb Knippel and Melissa Ruether.
Leslie McClain creates whimsical birds by layering colored paper. This one is the emblem for the Nature Buffs Lending Library. This bespectacled creature sprinkles magic as it holds its fantasy feathers over the bookcase.
Each book has an old-fashioned library checkout pocket in the front. Just sign the book out and file the checkout slip in the box on the shelf.
This is another of the several thoughtful bookmarks. Kathy Stedl from UWSP Print and Design helped with the graphic design of the print materials.
Here are some of the books available. Each one has been carefully read and considered before being adopted by the Nature Buffs. The group especially loved several! Serviceberry was one, and the young adult version of Braiding Sweetgrass comes highly recommended.
The bird in spectacles perches on the title page of each book, reminding readers of the delight to be found within (and to return the book when done reading).
A bookmark is tucked in each book so that readers take a reflection into their days as they mark their place.
As she explained the project to me, Leslie McClain’s delight came through every word she said about it. Leaving the Visitor Center that afternoon, she headed straight to the bookstore for more books for the shelves.
There are great children’s books too, including Fish Hotel by Lynn Markham, another Nature Buff.