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Summer Reading Program 2022
May ushers in the reality that spring really is here, the wind doesn’t only blow in March, and the students and teachers are seeing that light at the end of the tunnel that summer break brings. Although we have a library full of children year-round, we really have to step up our game during summer due to the increase in programming and attendance.
Although many libraries begin their summer reading program soon after school is out, we have discovered that we have more participants if we give them a break in between. We will have sign-up for the program during the week of June 13-18. Participants may begin reading towards their goals as soon as they sign up!
Dan Dan the Magic Man will be in Medicine Lodge on June 23 at the First Christian Church at 10:00 AM. He always puts on a good show that is enjoyed by every age group.
We will continue having programming for our youngest group of patrons on Tuesday mornings at 10:00 and add programming for our older group on Thursday mornings at 10:00 and again at 2:00 that same afternoon. Craft classes will be on Wednesday mornings at 10:00.
We are excited with our theme this year, Oceans of Possibilities! We will be able to incorporate everything from starfish to pirates to beaches to the deep sea to shipwrecks, and lots of stuff in between.
Summer reading programs are always fun, brain stimulating, and socially healthy, but we add a bunch of extremely cool prizes into the mix. We have found that, although there are those who would be happy to read most of their free time, there are also those who are not quite as certain that they want to spend their summer hours turning the pages of a book. Working for the chance of winning a prize that they really want seems to increase their reading hours.
Please put it on your summer calendar to join us for the excitement, entertainment, and enjoyment of our summer reading program. We would absolutely love to have you!
2021 Summer Reading Program Finished
I solemnly swear that this will be the last column about the summer reading program for weeks and weeks and weeks. I also promise to keep this short and to the point, to the best of my ability. “Short and to the point” isn’t my strong suit!
Our readers were divided into several groups for the summer reading program. The youngest of our patrons, ages birth through two years, are the Rubber Duckies. There were 10 Rubber Duckies signed up for the program. Virginia Lytle had 100 books read to her and came away with first place and a pop-up tunnel to play in. Rilynn Doman came in second place with 64 books and received an electronic animal book. Third place went to Brian Traffas with 53 books; he received a 50 flaps board book.
Our next group was the Nonreaders. We had 23 signed up; the top three having the most books read to them were Trevyn Flora, Lucy Schwerdtfeger, and Harlee Cox. Trevyn had 230 books read to him and he received a light-up board. Lucy listened to 155 books and received a large badminton game. Harlee had 130 books read to her and a wooden turtle puzzle was her reward.
There were 19 young readers signed up who kept track of the titles of the books they read. First place with 235 books was Shaylee Flora. Second place with 101 books was Callan Traffas. Third place with 78 books went to Kellen Barnes. Shaylee took a moon lamp home for her efforts, Callan walked away with a drone, and Kellen received a Lite-Brite set.
There were also readers who kept track of the time they read instead of the titles of the books. The top three readers in this group of 55 were Darcie Miltner, Stuart Schmucker, and Alayna Flora. Darcie read 87.5 hours and received a moon lamp. Stuart read 75.75 hours and became the owner of a drone. Alayna read 75 hours and took a kinetic sand castle home.
Our top three teen readers out of the 12 signed up were Elijah Schmucker with 110 hours, Piper Bishop with 95 hours, and Meara Bishop with 75 hours. The first-place prize for Elijah was a solar charger. Piper received a deluxe comfort lounge and Meara added the soothing sight of shifting sands to her personal belongings.
The top three adult readers, of the 45 signed up, were Myrna Sutter, Ruth Shelite, and Carroll Moore. Myrna read 200 hours and was happy to take home a Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager. Ruth read 141 hours and received a hammock; the perfect thing for someone who recently retired and loves to read. Carroll Moore read 140 hours and now owns a comfort pillow, which according to her husband, she is already quite fond of.
We had 75 prizes that participants had the opportunity to put entries towards during the 7-week program. These prizes included puzzles, games, kits, books, a doll house, a mega water gun, a blanket, slime, kinetic sand, and a bunch of other kind of cool things.
It was a good summer reading program and we are thankful for all of the participants for making it so. We will start working on next summer’s program towards the end of September or the beginning of October. There are things we want to change; we are hoping to make it easier for the moms of the littles. There is additional programming we want to do next summer that will take time to plan. We are already throwing around ideas and we would love for you to throw your ideas and suggestions in the mix! Who better to help with the planning than the participants? What kind of activities would make you reach for a book you would not normally read? What would make your child choose a book over a screen? How could we streamline the program in a way that could be easier incorporated into busy lives? You know where to find us; we have an open mind and we would appreciate hearing any answers you have to these questions.