Between the Stacks

Everyone saw the wonderful picture of the Rotary Club presenting a check to the Library last week. I thought I would translate what that donation, the funding from the Friends of the Library, funding from the Whitehall School District summer program, and the $250 donation from the Black Tie Blue Jean organization will mean to the children, teens, and adults of the Whitehall/Cardwell area. The cost of the summer reading program includes craft supplies, programming fees, prizes, snacks, publicity, manuals, extra staffing, and planning hours. This year we will hosting all of the children involved in the summer education program at the Whitehall School as well.

The Library spends an average of $2,600 a year on just the summer reading program. In many areas the prizes are often a free swim pass or a book mark. Our community is not only fortunate to have the funding for excellent program personalities, but also reward the efforts of our youngest readers with prizes which inspire them to read every day during their summer break. This makes a huge difference in the “summer slide effect” where children become months and even years behind their classmates who keep up their reading skills during the summer. These organizations are contributing not only to the present but also improving the future of every child who reads this summer. Thank you all so much!

Speaking of programs, this upcoming week the Library will host a program provide from the Lewis and Clark Caverns staff on bees. The program will begin at 10:30 a.m. on June 21. It will be a fun and informative program for all ages.

Markie Schulz and her amazing puppet show are coming once again. The program will begin promptly at 10:30 on June 28th. Story Time for preschoolers will take place at 9:00 a.m. so those who have to travel from out of town will only have to come once.

Thursday will be Afternoon at the Movies at 2:30 p.m. The movie will be an animated Elena adventure from Disney and last about 90 minutes. Next week will be our second meeting of the Fantasy Rangers, also at 2:30 for 5th-8th graders.

For a complete listing of all of the programs going on at the Library please stop by and pick up a calendar. There are many more things going on at your library!