Above: This summer, the Southborough Library is celebrating the theme Libraries Rock! – starting with a special magic and music program on Tuesday morning. (image right from Facebook)
The Southborough Library is officially kicking off its Summer Reading program on Monday. (Though, kids are already encouraged to start signing up.)
This summer’s theme is Libraries Rock! Children’s Librarian Kim Ivers has already made her annual rounds to the elementary schools to drum up excitement. She is challenging kids to top last year’s summer reading total of 6,600 books.
As usual, the library will be offering fun activities to keep the kids coming in frequently over the summer. That includes ongoing self-driven fun in the Children’s Room and themed drop in activities.
And as always – look for lots of entertainers. To start the summer off strong, they’ll be kicking off the season with a “Rock the Library” event the first morning of summer vacation.
On Tuesday, June 26th at 11:00 am, kids are invited to a special show sponsored by Fay School, featuring special guests.
Magician Debbie O’Carroll and Musician Tom O’Carroll are teaming up for a:
fun and funny interactive magic show that highlights the art of music. Tom’s lively songs and tunes on the guitar, banjo, tin whistle, mandolin, Irish drum and African thumb piano will introduce youngsters to music from Scotland, Spain, East Africa, Ireland, Italy and the U.S. Debbie’s enchanting magic illusions will involve all with some storybook characters from these magical and musical lands.
There’s a lot more in store this summer. So open your calendar app to save some dates:
One-time entertainers and special events (No registration required unless specified):
- Strawberry Social 2.0: Saturday, June 30 (11:00 am – 2:00 pm) Strawberry Shortcakes and more for all ages. (See dedicated post for details)
- Fourth of July Parade: Tuesday, July 3 (11:00 am) It’s time for the annual Fourth of July Parade! Children and their parents or caregivers are invited to march in the parade from the Library to the Town House. (sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Comic Mime Robert Rivest: Thursday, July 5 (11:00 am) There will be “Laughter in the Library” when the (surprisingly verbal) mime brings his hilarious show to the library (sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library)
- ScienceTellers in the Wild West: Wednesday, July 18 (3:00 pm) ScienceTellers combines stories and science to make some magic happen! Hear the tale of “Wild West: The Mystery of the Golden Piano.” (sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Animal World Experience: Thursday, July 26 (3:00 pm) Animal World Experience returns to the library with all kinds of amazing animals. Children can learn about the animals and be able to touch some of them (sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Big Joe the Storyteller: Tuesday, July 31 (11:00 am) There will be plenty of laughter when Big Joe shares his silly tales. (sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Truck Day: Thursday, August 2 (10:30 am) In the Library parking lot that morning, children will be able to explore some police cars, fire engines, dump trucks and more. (sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Star Wars Crafts: Tuesday, August 7 (3:00 – 5:00 pm): Registration Required – This limited space workshop for ages 8 thru teens celebrates all things Star Wars! Three station will be available to kids and teens as they rotate through the room, including “Wookie Cookie” decorating, Perler Bead Keychains and Star Wars finger puppets (using hot glue guns). (Sign up at the Children’s Room desk or by calling 508-485-5031.
- Musician Steve Blunt: Thursday, August 9 (3:00 pm) We’ll be singing along with the musician when he presents his “Rockin’ Sing Along!” (sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Flea Circus: Thursday, August 16 (3:00 pm) We’re wrapping up Summer Reading with some laughter and magic with magician Ed Popielarczyk and his “Flea Circus” (sponsored by Fay School)
Drop in programs this summer:
These events each run from 10:30 am – 5:00 pm. (Kids must be accompanied by an adult or caregiver.)
- Thursday, June 28 – Legos (Eaton Meeting Room)
- Thursday, July 12 – Crafts (Children’s Room)
- Tuesday, July 17 – Games & Puzzles (Children’s Room)
- Tuesday, July 24 – Legos (Eaton Meeting Room)
- Tuesday, August 7 – Crafts (Children’s Room)
- Tuesday, August 14 – Legos (Eaton Meeting Room)
Pajama Story Times:
Bring a blanket and listen to stories outside on the lawn. (In case of rain, the story time will be held in the Children’s Room.)
- Most Wednesdays at 7:00 pm: June 27, July 11, July 25, August 1, August 8, and August 15
- One special, afternoon session – Thursday, July 19 at 4:00 pm
To encourage in-between visits by kids to check out more summer reading books, there are more ongoing activities.
Reading Logs: Kids can choose to either color in a book picture for every book read or to write down the title on the reading logs. If they bring them every time they come to the library we will count how many books read and they can add a music note with their name and how many books they read to the music staffs on our door. Last year we read 6,600 books as a group so we will try to beat that.
Traveling Ducks: New Rock ‘n’ Roll ducks have been added to the Library’s popular collection of rubber duckies they lend out every summer. Ducks can be checked out (one duck per family) for 2 weeks to take on vacation or hang out with at home. There are sheets to fill out where the child can say what they did with the duck, where they went, and put a picture. We will have a book at the library for all the papers so everyone can see where the ducks went.
Weekly-changing challenges:
- Musical penguins: Four pictures of penguins playing musical instruments are hidden around the room. Kids can try to find them and they will be moved to new places each week.
- Scavenger Hunt: Kids can pick up a “Music program” and try to complete the challenge each week to earn an instrument stamp. For the hunt, they have to follow the clues to find authors, book characters, or items in the library. There will be a corresponding picture when they go to the correct spot and they have to find all the pictures and write down what they are. We will have a prize for anyone who completes all 8 weeks.
- Silhouettes: Every week there will be a silhouette of a musician out, along with clues as to who it is. Kids can try to figure out the answer and we will have a box for them to leave their answers in. The correct answers will be displayed the next week.
Reading challenge: Kids can take home a sheet with 8 music notes on it. Each one has a different type of thing to do (Read a book about animals, Read a biography, etc.) If they complete all 8, we will have them put their names on it and we will hang it up at the library under the title “Library Rock Stars”
Weekly Raffles: Kids can put their names on a raffle ticket each time they visit the library and check out items. (They can enter more than once a week if they check out things more than once a week.) Three names will be pulled every week to win prizes and then all the names will be entered into an end of the summer raffle for more prizes.
