It's June at the Library, and that can mean only one thing - it's time for the Summer Reading program! Our theme this year is Adventure Begins at Your Library!
The North Miami Beach Library participates in the Summer Reading program, a nationwide program in libraries to encourage continued reading and learning during the summer months and prevent loss of reading skill during the break from school each year, and it's time once again! Patrons of all ages, from toddlers just learning to read to adults of every generation, are invited to sign up for this free program.
Participants track all the books they read through the months of June and July and then return their list to the Library, where our crack team of professional librarians will total up all the pages read over the course of the summer. The patrons who read the most in each age category are eligible to win a variety of age-appropriate prizes - last year, the Library was able to give away laptops, tablets, book sets, and craft kits to our star readers!
Wondering how it all works? Here are a few questions we've been asked...
Q: How do I sign up?
A: Just visit the Library any time before the end of July and ask to sign up for the program, and one of our staff will be delighted to help you! All you need to do is have a library card (and if you don't, we'll help you sign up for a free one - make sure you bring your ID!) and sign up with your name, contact information, and age. The Library will give you a reading log and a free tote bag (while supplies last) just for signing up, and you'll be ready to start logging your books! If you can't make it into the Library right now, you can also sign up online at our Summer Reading webpage.
Q: What do I need to read?
A: Anything you want! The Library will honor any type of book, from biographies to fiction to graphic novels, and is happy to count ebooks and audiobooks as well. (Please make your book selections age-appropriate, however - we can't give adults credit for reading Curious George.) Unfortunately, we can't count non-book reading such as websites, blogs, or newspapers, but you are welcome to read in any language you choose.
Q: Is there any other way to participate?
A: Yes! Patrons who attend our smorgasbord of Summer Reading programs (see below for more information about those!) will be given credit for participating in each one. Whenever you attend a summer program, visit a librarian afterward to get a stamp showing that you did, and you'll get a few bonus pages added to your total.
Q: Do I have to live in North Miami Beach?
A: No! Everyone in our greater Miami family is welcome to participate (even if you're participating at another library, too!). All you need to do is have a library card with the North Miami Beach Public Library and make sure that you sign up with us. (We can't ship prizes, though, so make sure you're able to visit the Library in person if you want to be eligible to win in your category.)
Q: What's the deadline to turn in my reading log?
A: The last day to turn in reading logs at the Library will be Friday, August 9th, at 5:00 p.m. Logs turned in after this time may not be eligible to win prizes, since we may not have time to total them up and include them in the final count. If you'll be out of town or are concerned that you may not return your log on time, you can also turn them in early to any librarian when you're finished logging books for the program. (Make sure you're finished, though - once the logs are turned in, we can't accept additional books added after the fact.)
The Library's End-of-Summer & Back-to-School event will be held on August 18th, and will include awards, prizes, and accolades for all our incredible community readers! (If you can't attend that day, you can still win prizes - the Library will notify you and you can come in later in order to pick them up.) The event will also include exciting information about our upcoming fall programs and what else is happening at the Library, as well as fun, games, and performers, so don't miss out!
But what about events before August? The Library is excited to host a ton of interesting, educational, and just plain fun events over the course of the summer:
For Kids:
- Guest Speakers, different each week, to give exciting hands-on presentations on nature, science, and adventure, will be held every Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Some highlights this year include visits from park rangers, wild animal trainers, and our local Fire & Rescue department!
- Lil' Explorers, a toddler storytime
with live reading from our Children's Librarian and active movement to
keep young readers engaged, held every Tuesday morning at 11:30 a.m.
- Afternoon Crafts,
an all-ages craft extravaganza held every Tuesday afternoon at 2:00
p.m., led by our Children's Librarian and her creative team.
- LEGO Building, a fun creative activity to stimulate learning and tactile skills for kids of all ages, held every Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. with our Children's Librarian. Each week will feature a theme for kids to build creations around, and your creations will be displayed for the Library community to vote on - the winners will receive prizes throughout the summer!
- Family Movies, suitable for kids or the whole family to enjoy, held in our Meeting Room at 2:00 p.m. every Thursday afternoon.
- Tales with Tails, a fun and relaxing reading event where kids are encouraged to read aloud to our resident therapy dog, Little Dude! Little Dude welcomes teen and child readers of all ages and is always encouraging and excited to hear them show off their reading skills.
For Teens:
- Crafts for Teens, featuring hands-on building and craft projects designed for teens to stretch their creative muscles and enjoy spending time with their peers! This summer includes crafts such as building model rockets, designing sand art bottles, and decorating adventure bags for your future travels. (Supplies for these programs are limited, so make sure you visit our online calendar to register and lock in your spot!)
- Live Game Events, run by our Media Lab Instructor, featuring scavenger hunts, riddle-solving, and cooperative group activities... and, of course, water balloons. Can you escape the desert or become the next Pirate King? Only one way to find out!
- Teen Advisory Board, where our local teens can reach out and tell us what they'd like to see happen in their corner of the Library! If you've ever wanted to ask the Library to buy a specific book, hold a specific kind of program or activity, or get access to a specific kind of technology, this is the place to do it, on the first Friday of each month at 4:00 p.m.
For Adults:
- Documentary Club, held every Monday morning at 11:00 a.m., showing high-quality nature documentaries related to our theme! Explore the jungle, visit the desert, or learn about the outer reaches of space from the comfort of our Library movie theater.
- 3D Puzzle Building, a fun and relaxing activity held each Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Come join us to build a variety of 3D buildings, animals, and other projects out of foam and cardboard in a relaxed social atmosphere, with Library staff on hand to help walk you through your project and provide materials.
- Crafts for Adults, featuring hands-on projects designed to give adults the chance to have as much fun as the kids do! This summer's crafts include collages, decorative aquariums, and bedazzled coasters. (Supplies for these programs are limited, so make sure you visit our online calendar to register in advance!
- TechConnect, a new program featuring high school volunteers who will visit the Library every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. for live tech tutoring and information about cybersecurity and internet safety! These knowledgeable teens are ready to help with your own device if you bring it in, and welcome questions from kids and teens as well as adults.
- Community Crocheting, Knitting, & Sewing, every Thursday morning at 11:00 a.m. with our Artist in Residence, the fabulous Alicia Vallejo! Whether you've enjoyed her craft programs before or are just joining us now, she'll be glad to see you for community crafting for all skill levels, from beginner to expert.
No matter what you're interested in, there's something going on in the Summer Reading program for everyone. We can't wait to see you this summer!
