The Independence Township Library has a lot of fun in store for this year’s summer reading program.
The summer reading program kicks off on June 18 with a special visit from the Bowers Farm Petting Zoo, sponsored by the Clarkston Community Women’s Club. At that time, you may register for the children, teen or adult programs and registration continues throughout the summer. You do not need an Independence Township Library card to register.
Andrea Tietz, head of Children’s Services at the Independence Township Library, worked with two other women from the children’s department to bring this summer together. Part of their job was to choose a theme for the summer reading program.
‘The theme is set by the state and every year we kind of twist it our own way,? Tietz said. ‘The state theme this year is ‘Dream Big,? and we are doing ‘Light up the Night.? We’re really dialing in on a more specific instead of grand theme.?
Events planned include Sights and Sounds of Summer, presented by Nature Discovery, and SPACE, presented by Dynamic School Assemblies. Both programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Library. SPACE has limited room.
In addition, there are events each week for different age groups. Grades K-2 will meet on Tuesdays, ages 2-4 on Wednesdays, grades 3-5 on Thursdays, and birth-23 months, Thursdays.
For the children’s program, each child is given a reading log. In it, they record the number of hours they read throughout the summer or the number of hours their parents read to them. There are prizes for completing each section of the reading log, and the prize for completing all three sections is a free book.
For anyone wondering why summer reading is something to pursue, Tietz has a response.
‘It’s important for children to keep reading throughout the summer, to keep their minds sharp and to develop more of a love of reading,? she said. ‘Because when you read in the summer, you’re reading for yourself and you’re reading for fun. Whereas when you’re reading in school, it isn’t always what you want to read.?
For more information about the summer reading program, visit www.indelib.org.