Summer @ Your Library

"Dig into Reading Party" on Sunday June 2 from 2-4 p.m.

Summer reading programs kick-off June 4.

'Summer @ Your Library' 2013 programs for children and teens announced

MEDIA RELEASE • For Immediate Release

Twitter status: #StwOk Public Library Summer 2013 programs for children and teens announced.

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / May 13, 2013) – This summer, children will “Dig into Reading and teens will read “Beneath the Surface” during the Stillwater Public Library’s summer reading program.  “Summer @ Your Library” will offer free movies, weekly programs, a Reading Club and great prizes. Registration for the free programs begins Monday, May 20.

“Young people have so many choices of activities to do in the summer,” said library director Lynda Reynolds.  “We do everything we can to make sure that reading is one of their picks. The library’s program is a free and fun way to get your children to incorporate reading into their busy summer, while providing families a way to spend quality time together.”

By joining the Children’s Reading Club, participants will receive a free information bag with games, puzzles, bookmarks and reading logs.  Children will also receive a coupon for a free “Dig into Reading!” logo.  Participants take their own t-shirts to Chris’ University Spirit and the logo will be applied at no charge. 

Members who read (or are read to) for ten hours or more will qualify for the Awards Ceremony on July 25.  Members who read additional hours will also qualify for the following drawings:

• 15 hours - five $20.00 gift cards provided by Sylvan Learning Center
• 20 hours - seven classroom performance by Monty Harper. 
• 30 hours - a mystery Grand Prize which will slowly be revealed each week throughout the summer.

The Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals will start off the summer with a bang on Sunday, June 2, from 2-4 p.m. with a “Dig into Reading” party.  The party will include crafts, storytelling, pictures with a costume character, stories of a real geologist’s exciting discoveries, popcorn, prizes and more.  Activities are geared toward children ages 5-8.  Parents are asked to remain with their children throughout the event.

“Dig into Reading” programs after the kick-off will be held Tuesdays from June 4 through July 23 with three presentations at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the Stillwater Public Library Auditorium.  Children will be entertained by professional artists with storytelling, music, magic and theater.  The line-up includes:

• June 4 - The Oklahoma Science Museum will present “Operation Earth Force” which is a dynamic exploration of the science behind the earth’s most volatile natural events.
• June 11 - Magician Kevin Wade will astonish his audience with magic, music and crowd participation.
• June 18 - The Oklahoma Children’s Theatre performs its interactive and comedic version of Rumpelstiltskin. 
• June 25 - Local children’s author Darleen Bailey Beard will tickle children’s funnybones with some of her favorite tales.
• July 2 - Hill’s Irish Dance Troupe returns with its talented young performers who will get kids dancing.
• July 9 – Wonder, humor and delight characterize Monty Harper’s interactive sing-along concert with songs about gardening, dinosaurs, pirates and more.
• July 16 - Local students will entertain audiences with “Penny Ante Pirates” in a fabulous Rana McCoy Operetta.
• July 23 - Professor B. Looney returns with “Worms, Worms, Worms” which will incorporate magic, puppetry and his amazing balloon creations.

Seating for the children’s programs is limited to 300 people at each performance on a first come, first serve basis. 

“We want to warn parents that several of the programs will fill to capacity,” said Reynolds.  “This means that some people will have to be turned away.  The 3:30 p.m. often has the most open spaces, so we encourage people to consider attending the afternoon performance and to always arrive at least 15 minutes early.”

Children are also encouraged to wear their “Dig into Reading!” t-shirts to the programs to be eligible for prize drawings each week.  Prizes include coupons to local restaurants.

The “Beneath the Surface” Teen Summer Reading Program will be held each Wednesday at 2 p.m., June 5 through July 24, in the Stillwater Public Library Auditorium.  The program is for any young person entering 6th to 12th grades in the fall.

The Young Adult Reading Club features prizes for members who read throughout the summer.  Anyone reading ten hours or more will receive a stress ball and the first 100 young adults who read at least twenty hours will receive a “Beneath the Surface” t-shirt.

“This year, we will be giving away two Kindle Fires again, courtesy of the Friends of the Library,” said Reynolds.  “Teens can earn more entries into the drawing by reading more.  Last summer, a brother and sister won the two Kindle Fires, which was unusual, but they were also two of the participants who logged some of the most hours.”

The summer for teens begins Monday, May 20 at 6 p.m. with a summer kick-off party.  The party includes submarine sandwiches, registration for the Teen Summer Reading program, a tour of the library’s “underground,” and an overview of this summer’s events.  Those events include:

• June 5 –Teens will learn everything they need to know about “How to Survive an Apocalypse” with activities like Nerf shooting, survival trivia and making shelters.
• June 13 - Teens can work on crafts like making worry stones during “Don’t Worry, Be Happy Crafts.”
• June 19- Teens can go undercover at “Secret Agent Academy” and learn skills like making invisible ink, constructing a keyhole spy tool and navigating minefields.
• June 26-Teens will make a mini journal, learn about creative journaling and start their first entry with a “Bucket List.”
• July 3-During “Teen Top Chef,” participants will use everyday food items to create inventive new dishes. 
• July 10-Teens will create mini “Zen Gardens” using altoid tins.
• July 17-At “Pirate Cinema,” teens will screen their book trailers, vote on the best, and have a book swap
• July 24-The summer finale will feature delicious desserts and end of summer drawings.

“Summer Cinema @ the Library” returns again each Thursday, June 6 through July 18 in the Stillwater Public Library Auditorium with two free shows at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. All ages are welcome to enjoy popcorn and watch the G and PG rated shows. Children under five must be accompanied by an adult.  Check the Summer Cinema posters in the library or call for the specific movies being shown.

Major “Summer @ Your Library” sponsors include Friends of the Stillwater Public Library, Chris’ University Spirit, KOSU, OK Quality Printing and is supported in part by the Institute of Museum & Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the OK Dept. of Libraries.  Please visit the library website for a full list of sponsors.

The Stillwater Public Library is located at 1107 S. Duck St. (the corner of Duck and 12th Ave.). For more information, contact the Stillwater Public Library by phone at (405) 372-3633 or by e-mail at askalibrarian@stillwater.org or visit the web site at library.stillwater.org.

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