JONES COUNTY LITERACY
The Jones County Library has a lot of activities going on now that summer reading is officially over and school is back in session.
Branch manager Julie King said she’s been getting things ready for the library. She said they have a lot happening and a lot more planned for the near future.
“We’ve pretty much started back all of our regular programming now that it’s September,” she said. “We have Wiggle Worms every Wednesday at 10 a.m. with our zero through five-year-olds, and we also have Growing Greyhounds which is our initiative with the Jones County Board of Education for kids zero through five years. When they sign up they get a bag with books, T-shirts and information about literacy.”
She said they have big events throughout the year at the library to promote literacy with different games and activities, because learning to read is important. She said those programs are combined with Wiggle Worms to start that literacy journey early.
“STEAM Kids is the first and third Tuesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. We have crafts for the kids, electronic kits, building kits, Legos, and other activities for the kids to do while they are here. Our hope is the kids will get books while they are here to keep reading,” King said.
The branch manager said the Book to Movie Club will be Sept. 29, and it’s for third through fifth graders. She said the children will read Diary of a Wimpy Kid this month, then they will watch the movie at 4 p.m.
King said something new at the library is launchpads for children.
She said they can check one out for a week, and it’s full of educational games.
She said each one is a different subject. She said people can also check out Chromebooks for a week.
“Our Teen Cafe is the first and third Thursday of every month, and this month we are doing smoothies,” the branch manager said. “The kids walk from the high school often, and they can come here to get studying done.
They seem to really enjoy their time here.”
She said the first Monday of every month the library has Brunch Buddies for the senior community of Jones County, and the adult book club is Sept. 28 at 4 p.m. She said there will be a dance class where people can learn how to dance based on the 1800s Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the library.
“Our programs here at the Jones County Library are important, because we want to promote reading and literacy. Reading and literacy is part of our lives.
We want kids to learn to love reading,” she said.
King said the library has become a community center. She said people come for a variety of reasons. She said it’s gratifying to see the library so packed all the time and see so much going on.
“Fall is exciting, and we are already working on our Thanksgiving and Christmas programming,” King said. “It’s a lot of fun things happening here.
We do a lot of new displays and fun activities. We want people to come here and learn to love reading.”
For more information on programming at the Jones County Library visit its Facebook page.
