Reading is alive and well on the Vineyard, librarians agreed this week, as they reviewed circulation numbers that show material lending is trending upwards across the Island. Circulation statistics from each of the six Vineyard libraries tell similar stories.

Remember when summer meant reading for fun just because you wanted to? The Martha’s Vineyard Library Association likes to perpetuate that feeling every summer with the launch of its summer reading program.

As libraries across the country search for new ways to stay relevant in an online world, Vineyard patrons have remained dedicated to their small town libraries, and their access to materials in three towns may soon get even easier.

The libraries of Aquinnah, Chilmark and West Tisbury have each applied to join the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing network, better known as CLAMS, a nonprofit cooperative of libraries on the Vineyard, Cape Cod and Nantucket that allows any in-network patron to borrow books and materials from some 36 participating libraries.

Gold Star for Libraries

The Vineyard Haven and West Tisbury libraries have been named “star” libraries in an annual national rating process conducted by the Library Journal. Only eight libraries in Massachusetts and 256 libraries throughout the United States were given the star rating, out of a possible 7,513 libraries.

Thanks to a new service purchased in this new fiscal year by the Edgartown and Vineyard Haven Public Libraries, card-holding patrons in both towns now have access to free songs from the Sony Music catalog of recording artists.

Edgartown Public Library children’s librarian Deborah MacInnis counts herself as an astronomy fan. On her desk is a color photograph of Comet Hale Bopp which she shot herself years ago. And she has fond memories of getting the late Edgartown resident Maxamina Mello up before dawn to see Halley’s Comet in 1986, knowing that the 85-year-old woman had seen it as a youngster 70 years before.

But it took much more than enthusiasm for Mrs. MacInnis to become the NASA-certified guardian of some bona fide moon rocks.

My granddaughter Shealyn Smyth attended the West Tisbury story time recently. She loved the other children in the group, sat quietly while the story was read and appreciated the friendly atmosphere. At two, she’s already a book-happy person.