Eight-year-old Emily Cortez-Rocha and her sister Genesis, 3, took a break from using the computers at Great Bend Public Library on Friday to check out the readers’ “campsite” in the children’s area. They joined 2-year-old Sofia Stewart, who was looking at a picture book. Folding chairs were arranged between a tent and a campfire. A fan in the fire ring blew streams of paper “flames,” and a light from below gave it the appearance of glowing embers.
The summer reading program for children, “Dream Big — Read!” is going on now at the library, located at 1409 Williams St. Children can choose a bookmark at the welcome desk once a week for a prize, and enter to win a prize every time they check out a book, according to information from Amanda Moran, assistant children’s librarian, and Jennifer King, the young adult librarian and marketing director.
Upcoming events at the library can be found on page 2 of the Great Bend Tribune in the Breakfast Briefing column. This week there’s a Glow in the Dark Party at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Children can play games, eat snacks and make a craft. Everyone is encouraged to wear clothes that will glow in the dark or under a black light (white and florescent colors work best).
Staff from the Rolling Hills Zoo will visit the library this Saturday at 2 p.m., and Pam Martin from the Kansas Wetlands Education Center will be at the library at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27. Presenters at nature programs such as these have been known to bring some animals with them, King said.
At 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 30, kids can attend Touch a Truck in the library parking lot. Trucks from various businesses and services in town will be in the parking lot for a full hour that day, King said. “This is a great opportunity to bring out your camera and let your kids see how various trucks and pieces of equipment look. The police department will also be doing the DNA ID kits for children and the library will offer library cards to anyone who does not have one.” A snack will be served, she added.
Several new books have been added to the children’s collection at the library, Moran said. Titles can be viewed online on the Great Bend Public Library’s Facebook page.
“Own the Night” is the theme of the summer reading program going on for teens, and the summer program for adults is called “Between the Covers.” All summer reading programs continue until July 28.