Summer Reading Program
There are typically two camps of librarians when May comes around: those who are ecstatic about the upcoming Summer Reading Program and those who are inwardly repeating their mantra of “it’s only for two months, it’s only for two months.” I fall somewhere in the middle, eager to see the kids while mentally preparing myself for the onslaught that is about to arrive. I believe all librarians, however, would agree that there is something magical about summer in a public library.
The library was integral to my summer vacations. It was where I went to escape the heat, where I went to get craft books so I’d have something fun to make at home, and how I explored the world without ever leaving Jennings. A ride on my bike to the library, paired with a snow cone from the More Mileage station, was almost a daily routine for me in the summer.
Some say those magical summer days are gone, that children can no longer ride their bikes to snow cone huts and that internet has rendered libraries obsolete. But anyone who visits a public library during a summer program will see that the magic still exists. Children who were surrounded by YouTube and Facebook while still in the womb are just as enraptured by a great picture book as their grandparents were. Kids still want drawing books and comic books and “books to gross out my sister” books. Teens still want novels about being misunderstood and end-of-the-world dystopian books.
The public library has all of that, PLUS access to those books in digital format. For kids who prefer digital, we have TumbleBooks which offers online interactive picture books – perfect for reluctant readers! We also have OverDrive and Hoopla, which offer a HUGE selection of eBooks & eAudiobooks. For magazine readers, we have RBdigital which gives you instant access to popular magazines on your device of choice. And of course we have computers and WiFi, so if they need their YouTube fix & don’t have fast internet at home, we have them covered. Lest I forget, we also offer free programs every week, including toddler story times, professional performers, gaming and craft programs for teens, and more. For a calendar of events, click HERE.
When your kids say “I’m bored,” send them our way – we’ll make sure their brains stay active this summer!
