Keep Reading!

We strive to make summer a fun as possible at the library.  That means summer reading programs, crafty events, puppet shows and crazy Instagram challenges. It’s enough to give some families an option and enough to keep most children reading all summer.  But what if you want a little bit more?  SUMMER READING CHALLENGES are the thing for you!

I came across this fantastic idea on a wonderful website I’ve been reading lots of lately. Aspiring author, business owner and mom, Sara Biren uses reading challenges to keep her children reading all summer, and have lots of fun doing it! (As if reading alone wasn’t fun, but sometimes, it can feel more like a chore when parents are setting the goals for their kids.) Last summer, she tackled The 100 Picture Book Challenge.  

This year, she suggests a few new ideas, especially good if your kids are beginning readers and might not be up to reading 100 books on their own. How about a Read-Aloud Challenge, where you read together…out loud.  It’s like bedtime stories anytime!  Or what about trying to read an entire series this summer? (Harry Potter, anyone?) Or a Favourite Author Challenge? Let your child pick the author and get reading!

Sara has developed a downloadable tracker for each challenge.  Just click on the links, and then print them off.  This is a super way of making sure you meet your goals!

Will YOU do one of these challenges this summer?  Or make one for yourself as an adult! It’s never too late to enjoy summer reading!

 

We’re Ready to Go!

The summer calendars are ready to pick up at the library this morning!  We’ve got all kinds of fun things planned for this summer…for all ages!  You should really drop by to pick one up because they’re full of information about what’s happening this summer, but you can print one of these at home, if you like. (They’re pretty, but just a mere shell of the real thing!)

There are plenty of events happening each week. Registration is required for ALL programs, and you can call us to sign up one week ahead for each program. (Spaces are limited, so don’t forget to call!) Since the theme this summer is GO!, we’ve got adventure, travel, exploration and all sorts of other go-related things happening.

There are two special events this summer….a visit to the Carleton Place and Beckwith Museum in July, and Yvette and her Puppet Friends in August. The puppet show will require tickets, which will go on sale July 2nd. They’re $3 each at the library in advance and will be available for $4 at the door.  This is a family show, so all ages are invited!

We also have two reading programs going on all summer. The regular TD Summer Reading program is for ages 0 – 12, with booklets, passports and stickers to collect.  All the kids have to do is come in to register, then read three books and bring their invitations back to us.  We’ll do the rest!  There are ballots to collect for great prizes at the end of the summer, too! It’s going to be so much fun.  The more they read, the more chances they have to win!

For the older set, we’re having Book Buck Bingo again this summer. Kids in grade 5 and up can pick up their card and start reading according to the spaces.  We’ll give them ONE book buck for every space they read on the card.  There will be two great weeks to spend all those bucks, so watch for more information. 

Because our theme is GO!, we’re hoping to do a few new exciting things this summer as well. We’re on Instagram now, so children and adults are invited to take photos of library events, books they’re reading or even selfies at the library. Just use the hashtag #cplibrary to share them with us!

During the Bridge Street Bazaar in August, we’re going to have a Geocaching event!  Get out those cell phones and get ready to search for fun library caches all over town. Go! (Okay, wait….we’re not actually doing this until August.  Watch here and at the library for more information.)

If you need to know more about any of our programs, feel free to call, email or drop in.  We’d love to talk to you!

TD Summer Reading Club 2013 Kick-Off!

We’re having a library lemonade stand!  Yes, that’s right…drinks at the library!  Technically, it will be outside the library, but we’re hoping for a nice warm day to kick off our summer reading program!

We’re inviting everyone to join us outside the library doors on Friday, June 28th from 1pm – 3pm for lemonade, photos and lots of fun. Oh, and we’ll register our young patrons for summer reading at the same time.  It’s going to be lots of fun!  Lemonade will be free, but we’d appreciate any donation you’d like to make to our children’s programs. Rain or shine, it’s lemonade and library time!

Maurice Sendak’s Google Doodle

It’s Maurice Sendak’s 85th birthday today, and in honor, Google has created an interactive Google Doodle celebrating  WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. Yay!

It’s Summer!

Once again, we’re starting preparations for our summer reading program. Along with that comes a new member of our staff for a few months—our summer student, Emma!  We’re so excited to welcome her back for another year. She’ll be busy planning our calendar, thinking up great ideas for events and getting those events ready for all the young people that will sign up starting in late June.

Welcome back, Emma!  We’re glad to see you again!

Babytime is back!

This week, we’re starting our Babytime program again! It runs for six weeks and we’re expecting a FULL house once again. Parents have been notified, so if you’re hoping to attend, please call and we can put you on our list for the next session (it’ll be in September).

We’re so excited to see all the little ones and the moms (or dads or grandmas etc.).  It’s going to be a fun session of songs, bonding and interaction for the babies.  Are these going to be some of our early readers?  Maybe!