It’s National Bike Month

Can you imagine why the library blog this month is about National Bike Month? It’s because Cedarville Community Library receives a lot of visiting patrons by car, by foot, and by bicycle! The Miami Valley Trails are nationally recognized as some of the best bike trails in the country, and it’s National Route 50 that runs right outside our library doors. The library staff has worked hard with the Village of Cedarville to make sure travelers take the opportunity to stop on their way through Cedarville and see what the town offers.

The first thing a visitor will see is the Welcome Center. Inside are brochures and maps plus some interesting Cedarville artifacts. The library staff open and close the cabin daily, as weather permits, from April to October. As part of the Welcome Center is a bicycle Fixit station, installed by the Village, since a cyclist is at least 10 miles away from the nearest bike shop. There are also benches in and out of the shade for the weary traveler. Inside the library, we have a new water fountain with bottle filler. Cyclists can cool off or use any of our library resources, including WiFi. Sometimes our outdoor events attract cyclists, like our Summer Reading Kickoff, held in June.

All summer long, the library receives hundreds of visitors from all over, including Europe and Australia. They love to come in and check out the library and find out where in town they can stop for a bite, or an overnight rest. Last year we even had a pair of librarians stop by on their coast-to-coast journey. In July, the Cedarville Area Chamber of Commerce will welcome the Greene Trails Cycling Classic, bringing another 300+ visitors to Greene County and Cedarville. We’ve been happy to participate in the events when we can.

It’s been a true collaborative effort between the Cedarville Chamber, Village, and Cedarville Community Library to turn the area adjacent to the library into a space where visitors would want to stop for a respite. Plus, it’s a lovely place for residents. Take a moment to say hello to the cyclists as they come through. We often hear about how friendly and welcoming the Cedarville community is!