Summer reading

Jones County library ready for participants

  • Ocean themed displays, such as this coral display made of pool noodles, was made by the library staff. ALAINA CLARKE/Staff
    Ocean themed displays, such as this coral display made of pool noodles, was made by the library staff. ALAINA CLARKE/Staff
  • Paper mache ocean themed animals made for the library by Jones County High School art students. ALAINA CLARKE/Staff
    Paper mache ocean themed animals made for the library by Jones County High School art students. ALAINA CLARKE/Staff
  • The Jones County Public Library has displays of books to read for the summer while it’s too hot outside. ALAINA CLARKE/Staff
    The Jones County Public Library has displays of books to read for the summer while it’s too hot outside. ALAINA CLARKE/Staff

    The Jones County Public Library started their summer reading program May 23 and plans on doing a lot of different activities with everyone who participates in the Oceans of Possibilities themed summer reading program.

    Julie King, Jones County Public Library’s branch manager, said she’s excited to kick off the summer reading program and see how much everyone reads.

    “Our theme for summer reading is Oceans of Possibilities. It’s very exciting since we’re making the library into a whole underwater adventure for the kids,” she said. “We have special things such as a diver coming to show a presentation to the kids.”

    She said the kick-off for the summer reading program at the library is June 1 with bubbles, cornhole, popsicles, sidewalk chalk, and much more. She said it’ll be a huge playground that day, and she encourages people to sign up at the library for the program before then.

    “They can go sign up online and they can sign up here at the library. Every time they read five hours, they get a prize. We have books and toys,” King said.

    The website to signup online is https://www.beanstack.com.

    The branch manager said when the children reach 15 hours of reading, they get two books and a big prize, and when they reach 25 hours, they’ll get an even bigger prize. She said at 25 hours they can also put their name in to win a bicycle. She said that’s for children zero through fifth grade.

    “Sixth grade and up is our teen program. We have lots for them,” she said. “We have floating boats, they’ll have a knot tying class, they’ll have secret messages and they’ll have a survival island escape room here in the library. It’s going to be fun.”

    King said the Partners in Prevention Project with Augusta University is helping the library get the word out about the dangers of vaping. She said they have a teen four-week class, where the teenagers come every week on Thursday starting on June 9. She said it will be interactive with activities.

    “The art students at the Jones County High School made us paper mache animals that are ocean themed for us to put around the library. They are also making us a shark’s mouth door for the kids to walk in when they get here. These students have done such a great job,” King said.

    She said the summer reading program is for everyone, from babies to adults. They will have prizes for adults, such as gift certificates and other little things. The branch manager said they want to encourage everyone to read.

    “We really want kids to love coming to the library. If we can get them here, then we can work on getting them to enjoy reading,” she said. “The library is becoming a community center, and we have had a lot more people visiting. Please come in, because we have so much to offer here.”

    King said they don’t want children to forget what they’ve learned during the school year and keeping them reading will help. She said she wants to keep children entertained and doing something fun while reading, which is the point of the summer reading program.

    “Everything is reading. Once you finish high school and get a job, everywhere you go will require reading,” the branch manager said. “There is also joy in reading. You get to see things you’ve never seen and meet people you would never have met. It just opens up so much of the world.”