Staff at the Great Bend Public Library began distributing Summer Library bags Monday afternoon curbside at the library to participants in the 2020 Summer Reading Program.

The Summer Library theme this year is “Imagine your story.” It begins Wednesday, July 1, and runs through the month of July. Each bag includes four weeks of reading challenges, activities, and goodies. 

As of Monday, staff had assembled 300 bags, and a waiting list was started due to the overwhelming response from Great Bend families eager to participate in the program this year, said Great Bend Public Library outreach manager Hannah Grippen.

According to Great Bend Public Library Youth Services Manager and Assistant Director Amy Mahill, around 300 children participate in the Summer Library program each year, so that is the number of bags the staff planned on making. She’s excited about the turnout. Students can still register, and new participants will also receive a bag which will include some, but not all, of the projects provided in those for the early registrants, she said.