- By Carrie Wheeler
- Around Town
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Confetti and balloons awaited the arrival of the 4 millionth visitor to the Tompkins County Public Library Monday afternoon, but Library staff soon realized they would also have to fete visitor 4 million and one.Nine-year-old twins Julian and Seth Ribeiro entered the Library together just before noon to a jubilant welcome by Library staff and Director Janet Steiner.
“This is the best Library visit ever,” Seth said, as he rummaged through a bag of goodies provided by the library, which included DVDs, books and a Library tee-shirt.
The Library has been monitoring its door count in anticipation of the milestone visitor to its 101 East Green Street location for months.
The Ribeiros visited the Library with their father Alexandre of Newfield who brings them to TCPL regularly in an effort to help meet his young sons’ insatiable thirst for knowledge.
“I couldn’t get these guys to stop reading,” Alexandre said. “My wife and I have about 3,000 books and we don’t have television or cable, so they have always been exposed to reading.”
After just a few minutes with the twins, who divide their time between their mother’s home in Binghamton and their father’s Newfield residence, it was clear that this exposure had made them wise beyond their years.
In fact, they rarely visit the Library’s Youth Services Department. Instead, Julian devours books on business, entertainment and computers---often completing three books a day, while Seth frequents the Library’s DVD collection and fluently quotes lines from his favorite films.
“No one ever told us to read after kindergarten, Julian said. “We just do it because it’s something we love.”
Steiner said she was delighted to celebrate with such wonderful visitors.
“Seth and Julian are a perfect example of the patrons we welcome each and every day. They use the Library in very different ways but it meets both of their needs,” Steiner said. She also recognized that the twins weren’t the only ones who deserved to be recognized. “Our staff should really be celebrated ; they have served 4 million patrons since the new library opened in November of 2000.”
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