Garland Smith Public Library offers summer activities for all ages

Summer reading registration is May 18-26 at the Garland Smith Public Library, and summer reading starts June 6, said Library Director Tina Bennett.

This is the second year in which the program will extend into July. Many plans are in place, but Bennett said contrary to public chatter, there will not be a petting zoo during this year’s program.

“Sadly, that (rumor) is not true, but we are planning a pretty big party for the end of summer reading. While we can’t give away too many details yet, we can say for the kiddos who attend regularly, the party should be a big splash.”

Coordinating the Summer Reading Program is Lacy Burch, Children’s Youth Librarian. There will also be an annual stuffed animal sleepover near the end of July.

The no-cost lunches and snacks at the library will begin June 6 and run through August 4. Lunch will be served from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. and a snack at 3:30 p.m. This program is for anyone ages 18 and under. The meals must be eaten at the library and cannot be taken home. This program is sponsored by the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

The library team has several activities planned for teenagers who enjoy spending time at the library.

“There will be a teen art challenge. Lacy held this program last summer as well and presented a prize to the winner. Each Thursday during the summer will be Teen Only Thursday, in which the program that day will be directed strictly for our patron teenagers. The program will vary each week as to what will be done. We are also putting a call out for teen volunteers to help with the various activities at the library during the summer.” Applications to become a teen volunteer are available at the circulation desk.

“For the teen volunteers, our stuffed animal sleepover is always the ending of their summer activities and one of the highlights of joining to help. That party is not only for the stuffed animals that stay at the library but for the teen volunteers too,” Bennett said.

“We haven’t forgotten adults either. We will have our adult summer reading Bingo program again this year. Every year the winner has won a Kindle Fire and it will be no different this year. The Bingo cards will be available for pickup on June 6. The Marlow Library book club will also continue to meet on the last Tuesday of every month. They have chosen to break from tradition and not pick a book a month to read but rather a theme. This has been a positive change for several reasons,” Bennett said.

“There is only so much that can be said about one book, by the time you get around to every person there is not much left to say. Also choosing a theme makes the book club more accessible to all, sometimes a particular book can be expensive or hard to find, but choosing any book in a theme is much easier.” Bennett said April’s theme was comedy. “There were many funny books mentioned and all participants left the book club wanting to read at least one book mentioned. This month’s theme is romance. I also try to promote online discussions throughout the month on the Marlow library book club Facebook page.”

A date has already been set for the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale. It will be the weekend of July 15, which is also the same weekend of the County Wide Trade Day Sales.

Bennet’s Summer Reading Picks

“I asked each librarian to choose something, they did not disappoint. Patty chose “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. This book was published last year but it is a great one and still is circulating very well and not one person has said they didn’t enjoy it. Lacy chose “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry. It’s a romantic comedy, and she also said that anything by Emily Henry is great. Ann chose an author not a book, Elin Hilderbrand, she has a whole series on the Nantucket beach that Ann said any will put you in a vacation/summer mood.

“I am actually really excited for the release of book two in a series called Fractalverse. The title of the book is “Fractal Noise” by Christopher Paolini. This is the same author that wrote the Inheritance series that the movie Eragon was based on. This series is a sci-fi series about space.”

For the teens, Lacy recommends the Lore Olympus series by Rachel Smythe and the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. For younger readers we recommend “Diary of the Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney and Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs.