Library invites children, teens and adults to “Make A Splash: Read!” this summer

The seven branches of the Randolph County Public Library will offer almost 130 storytimes, performances, movies, hands-on projects and other special events June 14 through August 7 for children, teens and adults as part of “Make a Splash: Read!”, the 2010 Summer Reading Program.

And all for free.

Originally intended to keep children reading while out of school (studies show that kids who read over the summer do better in school the next year), the Summer Reading Program has expanded to include teens, who can “Makes Waves at Your Library,” and adults, who are invited to “Water Your Mind.” Children who sign up to participate at any library will receive reading rewards based on the number of books, hours or pages they read.

“Make a Splash” kicks off during the week of June 14 with appearances at each library by Blackbeard the Pirate, a.k.a. performer Ben Cherry. In July, magical storyteller Mark Daniel, a crowd-pleaser every year, returns.

The summer culminates with a pool party on July 30.

Each library will host one or more weekly programs. The Asheboro library will hold four weekly storytimes – for school age children, families, toddlers and all ages – along with Wednesday morning and afternoon programs for school age children, and a film time for children on Tuesdays.

The Archdale, Asheboro, Randleman and Seagrove libraries will screen popular movies for families, and the Archdale and Asheboro libraries also will show movies for teens.

Special visitors will include Ronald McDonald at Asheboro, Asheboro, Liberty, Randleman and Seagrove; martial artists at Asheboro, Randleman and Seagrove; mad scientist Dr. K Boom at Archdale, Asheboro Copperheads at Liberty and storytellers everywhere.

Other programs will include Deep River Pipes and Drums at Archdale, “Ocean Adventures” at Ramseur, “Discover the Mystery of the Coral Reef” in Randleman, and “Dive into a Story” in Liberty. Also on tap: hands-on activities such as outdoor safe cooking, “stained glass” and “octopus” crafts, and water conservation sessions.

While kids are making a splash, teens can make waves at the Asheboro library during Wii Wednesdays, Lego Mania, Bottle Cap Art and Teen Movie Mondays. At the Archdale library, they can take babysitting and self defense courses, learn jewelry craft, and register to be eligible in drawings for two Walmart gift certificates.

Randleman teens can enter checkout receipts showing books they have read into two drawings for Books-A-Million gift certificates.

Adults can enter drawings of their own in Randleman. In Asheboro, they can turn in a form for each book they read or audiobook to which they listen, and stand a chance in drawings for prizes, and also submit brief reviews that might make it into the library’s newspaper column.

The library also offers three reading and discussion groups that will continue to meet over the summer: Asheboro Reads (afternoon), the Luna Book Club (evening), and the Liberty Book Club.

For complete Summer Reading schedules and details, go here, or visit any of the libraries. For more information, call 318-6804.

The Summer Reading Program is made possible by the Friends of the Library and by a North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Arts Grant via the Randolph Arts Guild.