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Children’s and Teens’ summer reading program is back at Longmont Library

Kick-off party includes Sweet Cow ice cream truck, therapy dogs to pet and the release of the Summer Reading BINGO board
Community Submission
Library Main Entrance (1 of 2)
Longmont Library's Kimbark Street entrance.Matt Maenpaa/LongmontLeader

NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF LONGMONT
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The Longmont Public Library kicks off their Summer Reading Program for birth through 12 graders from 1-3 p.m. on Friday, May 27, with an outdoor event on the West Patio of the Library, 409 4th Ave.!

Join your Children’s and Teens’ librarians for a fun afternoon outside celebrating the beginning of Summer. Pick up your Summer Reading Bingo Board (it’s all you’ll need to participate in this year’s program), enjoy ice cream from the Sweet Cow ice cream truck (the first 100 kids get a free ice cream courtesy of the Library), and meet trained therapy dogs who will be at our upcoming D.E.A.R. (Dogs Enjoy Afternoon Reading) programs. Librarians will be on-hand to answer any questions about the program, share our packed calendar of special events for June and July, and recommend great books to check out this summer!

Be sure to get a BINGO board and complete the activities and/or reading challenges on the board between May 27 and July 31. Fill in a row, column, or diagonal and turn the board in by July 31 to qualify for a free book prize! Finish the entire BINGO board and in addition to a free book and bookstore coupons you’ll be entered into our grand prize drawing (one BINGO board per summer reader).

“We can’t wait for summer at the Library; it’s our favorite time of year as we get to see so many old and new friends!” Claire Studholme, the Children’s and Teens’ Librarian Manager, said. “We hope you’ll stop by, check out some books and events, and play Summer Reading Bingo with us.”

Summer Events

The Library will offer many free, in-person events this summer. The Children’s and Teens’ Librarians aim to bring kids, teens and their families together this summer through books, play, exploring, community and fun. See a summary of events below and view the full line-up at bit.ly/LibCalendar:

For Children

  • Social Emotional Circle for 3-5 Years Olds: Every Thursday in June and July from 10-10:30 am. Identifying and controlling big emotions can be hard, especially for young children! Kid Connects In the Neighborhood, a program through Mental Health Partners, will be partnering with the Longmont Library to provide a space for children and caregivers to learn how to identify big emotions and discuss ways to manage those feelings. This will be a fun interactive time for us all to explore and express our feelings! No registration necessary and Spanish translation available.
  • Morning Concert for Kids: 10-10:45 am on June 3, June 23, July 28. Featuring Mr. Kneel, Kutandara, juggler Sam Malcolm and more. These concerts will be held outside on the Library’s West Patio. No registration is required.
  • Keep an ION Science – Hands-on Science Workshop for Kids: Select Saturdays in June and July. Drop-in times at 1 pm, 1:30 pm, 2 pm or 2:30 pm. Join us for a 30-minute fun, interactive science program led by teen scientists! This program is open to kids entering 1st through 4th grades accompanied by an adult. If the time slot is full, we will do our best to get you into the next one. Be sure to come with a curious mind and excitement to learn new things!
  • Drop-in Storytimes: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Library hosts Bilingual Storytime from 10-10:30 a.m. on Mondays; Baby Storytime from 10-10:20 a.m. on Wednesdays; and Family Storytime from 10-10:30 a.m. on Fridays, all in the Library’s Meeting Rooms, located by the West/Kimbark Street Entrance.

For Teens & Tweens

  • Drop-in Teen Gaming Club: Every Thursday in June and July from 4-5:30 pm. Compete, cooperate, and collaborate on our Nintendo Switch featuring a selection of games for 4-8 players. This drop-in program will be held in our newly renovated teens-only space. All levels of gamers are welcome.
  • Dungeons & Dragons: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 6-7:30 pm. Sixth-12th graders who have some experience playing Dungeons & Dragons are invited to come and play friendly campaigns. Participants will have to work together cooperatively to create the playing experience. New players may join, but there is no specific instruction provided for beginners. Registration is required for each game night.
  • Drop-in Cricut Craft and Design Exploration: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays in June and July from 6-7:30 pm. Join us this summer to play around with the Cricut and Cricut Design Space to make a project of your choice. Explore what you can do with paper and glue or vinyl and an iron. We will use the time to research and discover projects, pull projects together in Design Space and then execute a finished piece. Teens will work together to troubleshoot and problem solve to be creative. No registration is required.
  • Book Tok Book Talk: 2nd and 4th Fridays in June and July from noon to 1 p.m. No matter what you're reading, come enjoy pizza with other teens, get recommendations and talk about your latest literary obsession!
  • Teen Volunteer Summer 2022 Program: Monday, June 6, through Friday. Aug. 5. Help shelve books at the Library to earn resume experience and school service hours! Volunteers will be taught everything they need to know in a one-time orientation. Find details at bit.ly/TeenVols.

For the Whole Family

  • LEGO Club for Families: 6-8 pm on June 3. The Library has more than 10,000 LEGO pieces, and at LEGO Club, we get them all out and build! Each time the club meets, we have a different building challenge. Registration is required and limited to 40 families.
  • Dogs Enjoy Afternoon Reading (DEAR): Second Sundays in June and July from 2-3 pm. Dogs Enjoy Afternoon Reading (DEAR) is probably the cutest program at the Library! This free program is designed for new readers and kids who want to practice their reading with a non-judgmental, furry audience a.k.a. a trained therapy dog. Each child reads at their own pace to one or more of our friendly dogs. Parents, guardians, and siblings are welcome to read to or help newer readers. No registration is required.
  • Lotería Mexicana: 3rd Sundays in June and July from 3-4 pm. Come with your whole family to play Loteria Mexicana! The "money" we bet is chocolate, and prizes include bilingual books and little giveaways from local Mexican markets. This program is bilingual and family-friendly - all ages are welcome! No registration is required.

Interested in participating? Download your BINGO cards at bit.ly/LibSRP or visit the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Desk on the 1st floor to pick one up. It’s a free, fun and easy way to keep kids and teens engaged, exploring, and reading this summer!