Magical storyteller Mark Daniel to appear at county libraries

Magical storyteller Mark Daniel begins a series of appearances at each of the Randolph County Public Library’s seven branches next week with a performance at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 16, at the Randleman Public Library. The programs are part of “Be Creative @ Your Library,” the library Summer Reading Program for children.

With his signature combination of magic, puppetry and storytelling, Daniel’s programs have motivated, inspired and entertained over three million children in thousands of schools and libraries over the past 20 years, celebrating the joy of reading and great books. He’s a mainstay of summer at libraries across the state.

He will continue his appearances through July as follows: Archdale library, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 22; Asheboro library, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 (the program will take place at Asheboro Friends Meeting, 230 E. Kivett St.); Franklinville library, 2 p.m. Thursday, July 30; Liberty library, 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 28; Ramseur library, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 30 (the program will take place at the Ramseur Municipal Building); and Seagrove library, 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. All performances are free and public is invited.

Meanwhile, Summer Reading events at the libraries are ongoing. For the week of July 13, they include:
· “Create and Aquarium” with Aquamain’s Fish & Reptile World, Archdale library, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 15;
· Martial arts demonstration with Macon Martial Arts, Asheboro library, 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 15 and Franklinville library, 2 p.m. Thursday, July 9;
· “History of Comic Books” with Dr. Francisco Hodges, Asheboro library, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 15;
· “All That Jazz” with the Center of Performing Arts, Liberty library, 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 14;
· Storyteller Jonna Libbert, Ramseur Municipal Building, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 16;
· “Movie Magic,” Randleman library, 4 p.m. Thursday, July 16;
· “Critter Sing,” Seagrove library, 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 14.

Weekly storytimes take place at the Asheboro library: school-age storytime, 3:15 p.m. Tuesdays; family storytime, 7 p.m. Tuesdays; toddler storytime, 10:10 a.m. Wednesdays; and all-ages storytimes, 10:30 a.m. Thursdays. For more details and complete schedules for all libraries, go here.

The Summer Reading Program is supported by the Friends of the Randolph Public Library and by a North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Grant via the Randolph Arts Guild. In all, the seven libraries are hosting almost 150 Summer Reading Program events for children, teens and adults through early August, and the Extension services department will take another 100 or so out into the community.