Westerly Sun Column | Summer Reading Program Starts Saturday

Summer is upon us! Even if you’ve been out of school for a few weeks, or enjoying the beach for the last couple of months, I don’t think it really feels like summer until our annual Summer Reading Program begins. This year, it all kicks off on June 17 and will continue for 11 full weeks, all the way through the beginning of September! We’ve got programs, Take & Make kits, outdoor events, artistic experiences, and — of course — reading challenges to keep you busy all summer long.

You’re never too young to sign up for Summer Reading; even infants can get in on the action! Newborns, toddler, preschoolers, and elementary students up to age 7 can join our Kids Summer Reading Program, where they can earn badges and rewards for reading, submitting reviews, and participating in other activities. Kids can even earn tickets by attending awesome events throughout the summer, like our Mug Painting program with Get Fired Up! on June 27, the Bubble Show with Circus Dynamics on June 29, or our family-friendly kickoff event in the park on June 17! All these tickets go towards our end of summer drawing, where you have the chance to win a number of amazing prizes.

Our Tween and Teen departments offer Summer Reading Programs as well. They work much like the kids program, in that participants can earn tickets for logging reading and participating in activities. The only real difference is that the activities are tailored to the specific age groups. Our Tween program is best for those in grades 4-6, and Teen is appropriate for grades 7-12. Some of the highlights for Tweens are the Trashbag Bagpipe program on July, and our LEGO stop-motion movie making program “Animation Nation”, which starts on June 21. Teens can look forward to programs nearly every day of the week, including a “Telling a Story with Flowers” bouquet-building program on July 20.

Just as you’re never too young for summer reading, you can’t be too old either! Anyone 18 and over can join our Adult Summer Reading Program, where you’ll earn tickets for every hour of reading you log, as well as writing book reviews and attending programs. Sign up for our Memoir Writing Program with Ethan Gilsdorf on June 24, make your own stamps and journals, go on the search for letterboxes in the park, and participate in a ton of fun crafts. We’re also accepting art submissions (in all mediums, and from all ages!) throughout the summer, which will be displayed in our Community Art Exhibit in the Hoxie Gallery during the month of September.

There’s so much more that I can’t possibly fit in 500 words, but check out our event calendar at www.westerlylibrary.org for all amazing programs this summer, and don’t forget to register for Summer Reading beginning on June 17. Everyone who registers will earn a ticket AND be able to pick out a free book to take home.

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian