For some, the annual summer reading program at the Silver Bay Public Library is a tradition, marking the start of each short Minnesota summer. Previously just a children’s program, 2023 marks the second year of the reading program being for all ages, birth to 100+.
The reading program began on Monday, June 12th, and will run through Friday, August 4th. Participants are welcome to sign up anytime. Prizes are awarded after the first week of the program, and participants can win a prize every week. This year’s theme is “Find Your Voice”, and some library programs center around this theme.
On the first day of Silver Bay’s summer reading program, children hurried from their LOTS projects to the circulation desk, eager to sign up for this summer’s reading program. Each participant received his or her own colorful journal and accompanying colorful pens, which they promptly showed to any available person while grinning ear to ear. Many eyed the prize table, eagerly anticipating the prizes they could earn. One 5-year-old, beginning reader, went home and sounded out letter by letter for an hour and a half; laboriously and proudly reading over 179 pages in his reader, eyes set on winning one of those prizes!
Other offerings at the Silver Bay Public Library this summer are activities for children and adults. LOTS, Learning Opportunities Through Stories, an early literacy program for children, is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 20 and Mondays, June 26, August 7 and 14. Friday, June 16 will see Climb Theater visit the library with “The Ant and the Grasshopper”. Many Wednesdays feature a “story time”, as well activities geared for those of the older elementary set. Friday, July 21st a “Bubble Wonders” program will be hosted at 10 a.m.
The library will also have “take and make” crafts available throughout the summer: clothespin people, sand art, yarn coil bowls, friendship bracelets, yarn banners, and more. All library events can be found on the Silver Bay Public Library’s Facebook page or via http://www.silverbay.com/?page_id=6824.
Silver Bay isn’t the only library with a summer reading program: Grand Marais and Two Harbors are each sponsoring a reading program again this year. Find out more about Grand Marais’ program at https://www.grandmaraislibrary.org/kids.php, and Two Harbors’ by visiting https://www.twoharborspubliclibrary.com/.
Stop the “summer slide” and knock off some books from your to-be-read list this summer with the encouragement of fun prizes and activities through your local library.
