Author Rosey Lee recently emailed us to share some exciting news. The Penguin Random House library team published her love letter to librarians online in May and included it in their weekly newsletter. It discusses the special place that libraries have in her heart as well as the important role they play in community health.

Rosey wrote that “I included health themes in my upcoming novel, A Gardin Wedding, as I did with my debut novel. Martha, the main character, is a physician. She partners with a local library for a talk about high blood pressure and dementia, where she demonstrates how to use a blood pressure monitor, mentions the library’s blood pressure monitor lending program, and later joins the library patrons and staff on a community walk.

“I hope to use A Gardin Wedding to call attention to these types of activities at libraries and encourage patrons to participate in them. I plan to highlight this part of the book during my library launch event at the Centerville Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library later this month, and I’d love to do talks at other libraries—either virtual or in person.”

Read the letter to librarians at the Penguin Random House webpage, and reach out to Rosey Lee at her webpage.

Do you have news you’d like to share with the Let’s Move in Libraries community? Reach out to us!

Stories from the Let’s Move in Libraries network

We want to thank Pamela Lynne Kemp, Library Aide/Assistant at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, and Masey Smith, Deputy Director of Research Development at Mississippi State University, for sharing these stories with us! Have a recent story you’d like to share with the Let’s Move in Libraries network? Contact us!

Pamela Lynne Kemp writes in “Embracing Nature: Rethinking Weeds for an Environmentally Friendly Garden” that “Maintaining a garden at a public library means navigating a delicate balance between education, aesthetics, and ecology. While finding time to water and weed between my primary library duties is a challenge, so is teaching volunteers to embrace sustainable gardening methods that may differ from what they’re used to. Misunderstandings happen—like when the American Beautyberry bush was mistakenly cut down or the Goldenrod was pulled up as a “weed.” These moments are disheartening but also part of the learning curve. I stay grounded in the mission: to create outdoor spaces that are welcoming, environmentally friendly, and rich with opportunities for reading, reflection, and hands-on STEAM programming …. By allowing native wildflowers to grow in the library garden, I hope to not just cultivate beauty but create a living classroom that encourages curiosity, resilience, and deeper connections to the land. I look forward to sharing what I learn with library visitors—and with you.” Read the full article.

Masey Smith shared that in part thanks to the Let’s Move in Libraries network they were able to bring a StoryWalk to Liberia. “The StoryWalk concept—designed to promote literacy and physical activity—was first hosted by Mississippi State University in 2021 and has since gained momentum across Mississippi. MSU’s research work in Liberia marks the first time this model has been implemented in that country, expanding the tool’s reach to low-resource settings abroad and demonstrating its adaptability across cultures and contexts. More than 300 people visited the student-developed StoryWalk, which featured excerpts from the children’s book “Bully Travels Around the Globe.” More than 285 books were distributed, turning this aspect of the project into a direct community impact.” Learn more about this international impact here.

Have a recent story you’d like to share with the Let’s Move in Libraries network? Contact us!

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