Library staff gearing up for another busy summer reading season
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Summer is known as a time for fun in the sun, firing up the grill and spending nights at the baseball or softball diamond, but it also provides a chance to catch up on all of those books you said were going to read as part of your New Year's resolution and, for kids, an important opportunity to keep their brains in learning mode while they're outside of the classroom.
Locally, the staff of the Marshalltown Public Library is always leading the charge to promote reading at all ages, and 2024 will be no different with a variety of summer contests and prize giveaways for those who choose to participate. This year's theme will be "Read, Renew, Repeat," and the challenge will run from June 1 to Aug. 19.
One new offering MPL Director Sarah Rosenblum sought to highlight are Launchpad devices, an advanced version of Playaways that give kids "good screen time" full of preloaded educational content. There are now about 30 available, and families can check out up to two at a time for two weeks at a time.
"We're excited that we have the funds to purchase these. We love that we have something new, or in this case expanded," she said.
The library is embracing the digital age and seeking to reach readers of all ages in all forms beyond traditional print copies -- although, as the director noted, the change to face out shelving has resulted in a huge surge in the circulation of traditional children's books. Some of this summer's prizes include (of course) books, tickets to the aquatic center and the Des Moines Blank Park Zoo, bedtime buddies and more.
"I think it'll be a very busy summer, and we love that and we're excited about that," Rosenblum said.
MPL Youth Services Coordinator Joa LaVille is equally excited about summer reading and encourages children and their families to set daily goals. They can track their progress on paper or on the Beanstack app, and it runs on the honor system.
"I do just want to make sure to emphasize that while we use an online thing, it's not online reading. Sometimes that's confusing because we use an online tracking device where they track their reading, but the reading, of course, can be whatever they want," she said. "It can be books they own, library books, listening to books, all of that counts."
Another point she didn't want to overlook is that the program is for all ages of kids, so if an older child reads to a younger one, that counts toward their total. A kickoff event will be held on June 11 at 5:30 p.m., and LaVille said the first storytime on the lawn next Wednesday -- and the Healthy Family Fair on June 15 -- will also help to set the summer reading train in motion. A mending clinic is also set for June 1.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the library will be serving a free summer lunch, and it will be served picnic style after story time on Wednesdays.
"It's super common to have everybody in the whole family, including older kids who may be browsing on their own inside, and then everybody can eat together. I think it's a really fun and relaxing thing, and a lot of families just make a weekly habit of that," LaVille said.
The Healthy Family Fair will feature a wide variety of activities, and LaVille is optimistic they'll be able to bring back the police and fire vehicles along with a city bus -- and she made sure to tout that bubble blowing is "truly for all ages."
Along with the reading incentives, there will be random drawings for prizes including Adventureland tickets and Pokemon gear. LaVille said the goal is to prevent "summer slide," and extending the challenge to Aug. 19 is a way to ensure that.
For older kids, the library offers the Tween/Teen Cafe featuring board games, art supplies and Minecraft licenses on the computers.
"I just want to remind people that the library has a lot to do when you come, whenever it works for your family. If the programs don't work or that's not your thing, come whenever and there's puzzles, games and all kinds of stuff including that space for older kids," LaVille said.
And Library Public Service and Technology Manager Katie Fink also put a plug in for the adult summer reading program, which offers prizes of its own all the way up to a Kindle Fire, tote bags, gift certificates to local businesses and free books. Readers can earn unique badges for choosing a book set in a country they've never been to or in genres they don't usually gravitate toward.
There are no comprehension tests at the end of each book, but Fink said it runs on a "scout's honor" system.
Anyone interested in participating this summer can learn more by visiting the library during regular business hours.
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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.