Library gears up for summer reading

Children of all ages are invited to “Make a Splash” this summer at the Morton Public Library.
The library’s summer reading program kick-off is 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 7, with a day filled with family-friendly events. This will be the first day to sign up for the program. This year’s theme is “Make a Splash, Read.”

“It’s a huge day,” said Children’s Librarian, Cindy Snoke. “It’s fun for all ages.”

Snoke said that events at the kick-off include bingo, hopscotch, hula hooping, sidewalk chalk, face painting, clowns, large bubbles and limbo.

Children can sign up at any point during the summer reading program, but the kick-off will be the first chance to do so.

“The pool party is the big reward at the end of the summer,” Snoke said. “This year it will be at the new pool, so we’re very excited for that.”

Prizes are received after every five “white label” (chapter) books or 10 “color-stripe” (picture) books from the library. Books are entered on each individual’s log sheet that is kept at the library.

The Read-to-Me Program accommodates preschool children who are not yet reading on their own. When parents read books from the library to their children, they receive credit toward their goal of listening to 10 books or more. Children who reach this goal receive stickers and are eligible to attend a special Read-to-Me party July 24.

For teens going into grades 7 through 12, prizes, which are geared toward teens, are available after five young adult or adult books are completed.

Students in grades 4-6 can join the Wednesday Reading Club, offered from 10 to 11 a.m. June 9 through June 30, where they can participate in different activities each week and earn points toward summer reading.

Along with the summer reading program, there are other events going on at the library to keep children and teens busy during the summer months. Crafts are available Tuesdays and Thursdays for students entering grades 1 through 6. Registration is required each week. There is a limit of 25 children for each session.

Each Friday in June and July are Brown-Bag-It Fridays. Each Brown-Bag-It has something special for families who attend, which include Ronald McDonald, fire trucks, clowns and Cornbelt baseball players. Bring a sack lunch and enjoy a fun-filled program from noon to 1 p.m.

Specialty workshops, focusing on activities such as drawing, dance and magic, are also available. Times for each workshop vary. Registration is required.

“We like to make the reading fun during the summer because the kids have reading requirements during the school year,” Snoke said. “It’s more fun for them when they can choose what they read. It allows children to learn to appreciate the library.”

Director Janice Sherman said that summer reading is very important for literacy.

“Statistics have shown that over the summer, kids can actually lose in their reading levels,” she said. “Reading over the summer helps them to maintain their reading skills.”

She said that the summer reading program helps children to become familiar and comfortable with the library, which makes visiting the library part of a regular routine.

“We are the place for life-long learning in people’s lives,” Sherman said.

According to the 2010 edition of Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings, Morton Public Library ranks in the top 4 percent of libraries in the 10,000 to 24,999 categories in the United States.

There are 1,773 libraries in Morton’s population category.

For questions, call or visit Morton Public Library at 315 W. Pershing, 263-2200, or visit the library’s Web site, www.mortonlibrary.org.