(Seguin) — The Seguin Public Library is helping readers crack open their books for this year’s Summer Reading Experience. The Summer Reading Experience is a free 8-week celebration of reading and fun challenges and events that the library offers through the months of June and July. Events are geared for children, teens and adults.
Helping to coordinate this year’s summer reading program are Silvia Christy, assistant library director and Hannah Farmer, the youth services librarian. After having offered a virtual program last year, Farmer says the library is ready to reconnect with readers in person.
“Luckily, we have been adding in person programming gradually during the spring and we are seeing that it works and we can be outside and have a lot of really fun activities, outdoor story time, we are planning some really fun, messy crafts for the kids outside and so we are really excited to reengage that way while still offering daily videos through a production company called Page Turner Adventures where there will be daily videos featuring authors and craft videos for those who still want that virtual option so it’s exciting to reengage in both ways this summer,” said Farmer.
Farmer says the library is especially excited about this year’s theme and all the game boards, events and activities that go along with “Tails and Tales.”
“The theme is Tails and Tales. So, we are celebrating animals stories. So, it’s tails, like animal tails and tales like stories. What a fun theme because there are so many wonderful books about animals, non-fiction and fiction both and so many activities and crafts and learning experiences that we can do with that animal theme,” said Farmer.
Farmer says she will help oversee the events for the younger readers. She says summer is always a perfect way to connect with kids and help continue their learning.
“Everyone is eligible. There is something for all ages from zero to 99 to older. For the youngest children ages zero to 4, we have early literacy activities. That’s our story time crowd. We are encouraging caregivers to read to their children. It’s never too early to read to your babies. So, they have their own gameboards to do. Kids ages 5 to 11 have a separate gameboard with activities geared toward those elementary ages. Teens have a separate program for ages 12 to 17 and some of the teen activities are going to include an escape room here and then for ages 18 and older, Silvia is planning that adult program that has some really fabulous prizes as well — something for everybody,” said Farmer.
As for the adults, Christy says they shouldn’t let the kids have all the fun.
“Come and join the fun as well and this year, I have added challenges for people to complete and mark off the gameboard so for example, they can create a playlist of songs that have animals in them and it’s very hard. You wouldn’t believe it, but it’s very hard to do that without looking into Google or working with someone else. You can also submit your favorite animal joke and we are hoping to put all of this together like on a comedy show online for people to take a look at as well as a playlist for people to enjoy. You can also take a nature walk and then count or observe birds and mark them off your list. You can also walk around your neighborhood and see if you can spot 10 different animals,” said Christy.
Not only will participants this summer be kept busy but they will also get the chance to win some top of the line prizes. Farmer says as they complete part of their game boards, kids will get to drop a raffle ticket for some very special prizes.
“We have books and toy sets for our littlest readers. We have Leggo sets. I know the kids are really excited about the Minecraft Lego sets that we have. For teens, we are doing Amazon gift cards and collectible book sets and Silvia, with the help of the Friends of the Library has picked out some really awesome prizes for adults,” said Farmer.
Prizes, however, don’t stop for the kids. In fact, Christy says adults are eligible to win the following grand prizes when they blackout their gameboards.
“We have a GoPro Hero 7 Camera. We have an Apple watch (SE). We have a Cricut Joy Machine. We have a Bluetooth sound bar and some compact binoculars that go along with the theme of ‘Tails and Tales this year,'” said Christy.
Although registration is available online, all participants will still have to stop by the library to pick-up their gameboards and list of summer activities to get started. Register for your summer reading experience at library.seguintexas.gov/. The Seguin Public Library is located at 313 W. Nolte St.