DAPHNE, Ala.—Daphne Public Library will host its 11th annual Spring Into Reading Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The goal of the safari-themed, free event, library director Tonja Young said, “is to get (children and parents) to see the library as an interesting and exciting place to be. “It’s also a good way for us to introduce ourselves to new residents in the area.”

The interior of the library will look exceptionally different to patrons used to maneuvering through the library stacks guided by Dewey’s immortal decimal system of book organization.

Hanging safari-inspired decorations, along with roaming grassland and savanna  area creatures adds to the atmosphere, Young said.

“We’ve already decorated our shelves with monkeys and palm trees,” Young said.

Scheduled to appear at the festival are: Dr. Gee; Daffodil the Clown; Maynard and Friends (comedy and puppets); the Chick-Fil-A Cow; and Uncle Joe’s Rolling Pet Zoo.

“We’ll also have the traveling dairy cow exhibit,” Young said. “Kids will be able to learn how to milk a cow.”

Guests include author Daniel Bertagnolli; Audrey Preston of Coastal Wonders; Patty Hall of the Gulf Shores Zoo; and the Spanish Fort United Methodist and Daphne United Methodist puppet groups.

The festival includes guest visits from: a Daphne fire truck and firefighter; a DARE police cruiser; and McGruff the Crime Dog.

See the rest of this story in the March 25 Daphne Bulletin.