The Greenwood-Leflore Public Library will host its annual Summer Library Program for children starting Thursday at the main branch on Washington Street.
Registration will be held through July 10, and the program will run through July 26.
The program is free and open to all children in preschool through seventh grade.
Participants in the Summer Library Program will be asked to read eight books, for preschool through third-grade students, or four books, for students in fourth grade or above. Preschool students may have books read to them.
When they register, the children will receive a reading record to keep track of what books they read during the program. The records should be returned to the library by noon on July 26.
Those who finish the required number of books by the end of the program will receive a certificate.
Children are encouraged to read at an appropriate level and at their own pace — there is no competition to see who can read the most books.
Children can check out up to five books from the library at one time. If they do not have a library card, the books may be read at the library, but each child may read no more than five books at the library in one day.
In addition to reading at home, the children also will be invited to attend several free activity sessions as part of the Summer Library Program. The activities will be held at the library and will include book presentations, as well as arts and crafts.
The theme of this year's program is "Catch the Reading Bug," so the activities will be related to the topic of insects.
Activity sessions will include:
- Book talk with author Rosanne Hodges, 10 a.m. July 1
- "Buggy Frames" craft session, 2-3 p.m. July 3
- "Don't Bug Me Door Hangers" craft session, 2-3 p.m. July 9
- Story time, 10-10:30 a.m. July 10
- "Buggy Clothespin" craft session, 10-11 a.m. July 15
- "Go Buggy for Books" presentation with illustrator Chuck Galey, 2 p.m. July 16
- Book talk with hand-outs, 2-2:30 p.m. July 22
- "Butterfly Magnet" craft session, 10-11 a.m. July 24
Children's librarian Sue Lott said the activities are optional, so children do not need to attend in order to participate in the Summer Library Program.
"If they don't want to join (the program) and they just want to come to the activities, that's allowed, too. We want to get them involved in any way we can," Lott said.
Lott added that younger children who come to the library for activities or to check out books should be accompanied by an adult or an older sibling.
For more information, call the Greenwood-Leflore Public Library at 453-3634.
