Rachel Roushey and Izabela Nowak, with the Myer’s Memorial Library’s reisdent gnome, Norman. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

Myers Memorial Library To Hold Gnome Themed Activities Throughout Month

FREWSBURG — Gnomes have begun to invade the Myers Memorial Library in Frewsburg, with more set to come throughout the month of September.

September is “Bring Your Gnome To The Library” month for the library, a new holiday that Myers Memorial Library has created, complete with gnome themed activities to go with it.

Library Director Izabela Nowak, said the idea came because of staff members liking gnomes.

“We really like gnomes here,” Nowak said. “We’ve had a resident gnome for about two or three years and over the last few years gnomes have become very popular in the United States. So, we asked people to bring their gnomes to the library.”

Gnomes of all sizes and themes can be found currently on display at the library. Themes range from Christmas and Halloween to fall and spring, and whatever else people might decide to bring. Nowak said there are about 50 gnomes that have been brought in so far, with more still to come.

Norman, the library’s resident gnome, was found by Nowak at TJ Max during Christmas time in 2019.

Library Assistant Rachel Roushey said that Norman was downstairs in the children’s area following the renovation in 2019, but has since moved upstairs.

“He’s usually downstairs, but he came up for the recent library tours,” Roushey said. “People will come and take selfies with him. We had a name contest for the kids when we first got him, and there were about 50 suggestions, which we got down to five, and then Norman had the most votes.”

Roushey added that people will come and say hello and goodbye to Norman when they come to visit the library.

According to Nowak, gnomes started out as being very popular in Northern Europe. Nowak herself is from Poland, so she knows and grew up with many fairy tales surrounding gnomes.

“Gnomes are very secretive,” Nowak said. “They live in your house or on the farm and help out. They give advice and help out in the stables, calming the animals down. You can’t see them, but they are around, just helping in general.”

The garden gnome has since grown in popularity as well in the United States, but Nowak said they are also popular in Germany. In the last few years, stores everywhere have begun to sell them.

Nowak added that one lady had confessed to them that they found gnomes creepy, but that most people love them because they are cute.

Also this month, on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Myers Library will be having a Gnome Saturday, inviting kids to come and create their own gnomes out of clay. The library invites everyone who comes to also dress up as a gnome if they wish, and to come tour the library. Nowak said those who create their own gnomes are invited to leave them to add to the general gnome displays and pick them up at the end of the month, but she added that kids might want to bring theirs home immediately after. There will also be a possibility of hot chocolate, depending on the temperature outside.

Nowak said people should take advantage of coming to Gnome Saturday and to see the gnomes on display throughout the month as a way to come visit the library.

“It’s a fun thing to do,” Nowak said. “Gnomes are cute and funny, and it is a good reason to visit the library and see what we are about. We also have some books about gnomes.”

Nowak encouraged everyone to come out and visit the libraries that are a part of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System. Each library has a multitude of programs, including upcoming Halloween and Christmas themed ones. Nowak referred to the library as a place that is always “free and fun”.

The Myers Memorial Library is located at 6 Falconer Street in Frewsburg. They are open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, and closed Sunday. More information can be found on their Facebook page or website, myerslibrary.org.