The ribbon is cut as the first Book Walk in Lycoming County which is at Trout Run Park. The book on display is Otto and the Sun and is a bilingual story. The walk encourages families to not only read the pages which are on display at various points in the park but it also encourages people to spend time outside. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Book lovers and nature lovers have a new option to enjoy the two together, as a ribbon-cutting for the first permanent book walk in Lycoming County was held at the Trout Run Park on Friday afternoon.

The walk features a number of plaques spaced out along the walking path, each one containing a different page of the book.

“A book walk is more than just a trail with pages. It’s an opportunity for literacy, movement, enjoyment and family togetherness,” said Executive Director for the James V. Brown Library Amy Resh.

“This is a way for people to enjoy the beauty around us, promote reading and of course, the beautiful Pennsylvania Wilds,” she said.

“We hope this book walk, featuring the bilingual story, Otto and the Sun, becomes a cherished part of this community,” Resh said, adding that a new book will be featured come spring time, with a total of three stories purchased so far.

For Resh, combining literature with the great outdoors was a no-brainer.

“One of the things that I learned very early when I came to Lycoming County was that this is kind of known as the entryway to the Pennsylvania Wilds, and I thought, what better way to bring together literacy and outdoorsmanship in a beautiful place,” she said.

Book walks are not a new phenomena, but experienced a surge due to indoor limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of the things that we really love about this really unique experience is that it’s multi-generational. You have everyone from the very young in the stroller all the way up to grandparents,” Resh said.

“They can enjoy everything together and they can enjoy learning together, especially with it being a bilingual story walk,” she said.

“We have the opportunity to have people learn some other words and other languages, so it’s just really a fantastic way for people to connect,” Resh added.

The goal of featuring a bilingual story was not only education, but inclusion as well.

“We know that in our community, there’s a growing population, according to the 2020 census, that are primarily Spanish speakers, so we wanted to make sure that we included them so that they could feel welcome,” Resh explained.

The importance of the walk can not be overstated according to Resh.

“This is the first permanent book walk in Lycoming County, and we’re really proud of that, because literacy is so vitally important in our community and we know that there are a lot of adults who didn’t get that literacy support when they were younger, and now we’re trying to make sure that that doesn’t keep continuing for other generations,” she said.

Several state and local leaders attended the ceremony, including State Rep. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, Lycoming County commissioners Scott Metzger and Mark Mussina, and members of the Lewis Township Supervisors.

“For so many people, they think of the library as a brick and mortar building with books, and it’s an inexpensive way to save from going to buy a book, but our whole Lycoming County system has so much more to offer than that, whether it’s programs, or the Book Bus,” Mussina said, noting a number of outreach initiatives of the library.

“When you think about the aspects of our society that literally, every generation can go to one place and find enjoyment, there are few things like the library,” the commissioner added.

“Our children are our future, and certainly we want to make sure that literacy is right at the top,” Hamm said, adding that his daughters and wife are avid readers.

“It’s programs like that that get kids interested in reading and build that passion,” he said.

The walk was made possible in part through a grant from the First Community Foundation Partnership.

“We, at the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, have been a long time supporter of the library,” said Grantmaker Betty Gilmour.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer something new, something innovative and something just a little different,” she said.