Scott County libraries are extremely excited to announce the plans, and dates, for the 2018 summer library program. This years Collaborative Summer Library Program theme is “Libraries Rock”, and that is exactly what all four county libraries are ready to do this summer.
The four county libraries are all hosting six-week summer library programs for residents of all ages, from pre-school to adults. All the fun and reading begins the first week of June and rocks on through the second week of July. The public libraries in Forest, Lake, Morton and Sebastopol have been preparing for the summer event for months and now they are ready to go.
The summer library programs main goal is to help prevent “summer reading loss” in school-aged children. Library spokesperson, Dianne McLaurin said, “Summer library programs are so important for students, especially those in grades K-6.” Some researchers believe that a large percentage of the “achievement gap” for children living in poverty, and for children of color, is a direct result of summer reading loss. This is a problem that Scott County has recognized, and is aggressively, fighting by having such an interactive summer reading program.
“Summer reading loss is cumulative and children do not catch-up in the fall just because their classmates are moving ahead with their own skills,” McLaurin explains. The county libraries have worked together to create summer programs that allow children, as well as adults, the opportunity to have a great time while continuing to improve their reading skills.
“Summer library programs offer enrichment activities and promote recreational reading to students. Summer is a great time to read, and we make reading fun,” McLaurin said. Scott County’s library summer reading programs offer safe supervised activities for children and teenage school kids. These programs provide quality learning opportunities that are not only fun, but completely free of charge.
Local businesses, community organizations, government entities and Friends of the Library groups throughout the county provide funding and support to the library system. It is their funding and support that helps make the summer programs successful. The aforesaid support is utilized to the maximum by the hard work and dedication of all library staff and volunteers. It is their tireless effort and planning that allows Scott County to offer a summer reading program that benefits children, teenagers and adults in all library locations.
“The branch managers at the Scott County libraries decided to collaborate this year with the public announcement of each library’s scheduled events. Parents will be able to what’s going on when and where and attend as many programs as possible during this six-week period,” McLaurin added.
Public libraries meet the social needs of young people by providing a safe, and fun learning environment, to meet-up with their friends and classmates throughout the summer. Books are no different from movies, music and sports when it comes to school-aged children. If it is popular with their friends, they are more inclined to open the book and read it. Studies show that 80 percent of students who read recreationally out-perform those who don’t. The county libraries have worked hard to make recreational reading interactive and fun so that more kids will understand that reading can be fun and enjoyable.
It is a proven fact that children read more often when they can choose materials based on their own interests. The libraries work hard to offer avenues for students to choose from an endless pool of subjects. In addition to books, public libraries use alternate formats to offer a vast assortment of subjects and interests from which to chose. The formats include magazines, graphic novels, public computers and WIFI capabilities so that school children’s reading choices are available on, and through, numerous educational mediums.
In this technology driven day-and-time having choices is incredibly important. Local libraries have worked very hard to offer students all possible ways to find, and enjoy, their reading material. McLaurin says, “it’s going to be a rockin’ summer for sure!”
Listed below are all the summer library scheduled events and contact numbers for Forest, Lake, Morton and Sebastopol.
FOREST PUBLIC LIBRARY: 601-469-1481
Preschool Story Time – Wednesday at 11:15 a.m.
K-6th Grades – Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
June 5 – Magician Dorian LaChance
June 12 – Storyteller Dianne Butler
June 19 – Animal Tales
June 26 – Freedom Ranch
July 3 – Dan the Banjo Man
July 10 – CMLRS Puppets
TEENS – Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
June 19 – Lip Sync Live
July 10 – Karaoke Crooners
ADULTS – Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. (Back Door Events)
June 5 – Blues, Books, and Barbecue
July 3 – Rock and Roll Red, White, and Blue
LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY: 601-775-3560
K-6th – Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
June 7 – Children’s Illustrator Chuck Galey
June 14 – CMRLS Puppets
June 21 – Animal Tales
June 28 – Steel Drummer Mitch Warner
July 5 – Cupcake Creations @ Pheanice’s Sweet Creations
July 12 – Bagpiper Zoe Brumfield
TEENS – Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.
June 13 – Teen Theater
June 27 – Wii Dance-Off
July 11 – Teen Theater
ADULTS – Monday at 1:30 p.m.
June 11 – Adult Art Class (Pre-registration required. Cost for materials — $10.00
June 25 – Color Your Own Bookmark
July 9 – Movie Monday
MORTON PUBLIC LIBRARY: 601-732-6288
Preschool Story Time – Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.
K-6th Grades – Thursday at 2:00 p.m.
June 7 – Storyteller Dianne Butler (Special Performance at 5:00 p.m.)
June 14 – CMRLS Puppets
June 21 – Let’s Make Music
June 28 – Animal Tales (Special Performance at 5:00 p.m.)
July 5 – Dancing Dan the Banjo Man
July 12 – Guitar Art and Party
TEENS – Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
June 7 – CD Art
June 28 – Teen Movie Sing (Universal Pictures – PG, 1 hour 46 mins)
ADULTS – Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
June 14 – ZUMBA
SEBASTOPOL PUBLIC LIBRARY: 601-625-8826
K-6th Grades – Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.
June 6 – Magician Dorian LaChance
June 13 – INKY the Clown
June 20 – MSU Extension Service
June 27 – CMRLS Puppets
July 4 – LIBRARIES CLOSED
July 11 – Sebastopol Fire Department
For more information about any of the county’s summer library programs, please contact the libraries at the number listed above. All four of the Scott County public libraries are part of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System serving public libraries in Rankin, Scott, Simpson and Smith counties.
