First Posted: 8/12/2014

Approximately eight years ago,when state Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich was a member of the media, he wrote a story about what was happening at the Abington Community Library.

“I was just so impressed,” said Kavulich. “I try to get up here for any event they have because I think it’s an absolute community effort. From the smallest child to the senior citizen, everybody utilizes the library. As I tell Leah (Ducato Rudolph), I will absolutely support the library in anything they do, because of the great work they do here. From the very first time I came here I recognized what a community place it was. It’s not the library we remember from years ago. It’s a community center, rather than a community library.”

Kavulich was one of a group of dignitaries including Clarks Summit Mayor Patty Lawler, Clarks Summit Borough councilwoman Gerrie Carey, state Rep. Marty Flynn, as well as numerous councilmen and supervisors, who attended a “Summer Social” at the library on Aug. 11.

The purpose of the event was to showcase the many programs and activities offered to the community at the library, according to library director Leah Ducato Rudolph.

Following a welcome by Ducato Rudolph and testimonials by library board president, Leela Baikadi and Tom Moreken, of Families Helping Families, a local group that has been meeting at the library for more than five years, Ducato Rudolph shouted out thanks to the local media and the library board of directors and acknowledged the unwavering community support for the library.

She referred to the library as “a work in progress” and cited the popularity of the library’s summer reading program that attracted more than 450 children to the library this summer.

“By the end of the evening, approximately 50 people were here. We had a fantastic time showing off the library and giving everyone the opportunity to network. We’ve already had a request to do a repeat performance and will next year,” said Ducato Rudolph.