COMING UP FROM UNDERGROUND to announce all the Summer Reading Program activities at McAlester Public Library are (l-r) Summer Reading Aide Laurissa Wilson, Children’s Librarian Anita Ross, Teen Librarian Erin Austin and Assistant Librarian Kathy McGilberry.
It’s Summer Reading Program time once again at McAlester Public Library.
The 2013 theme is “Underground” and in the first week alone, McAlester children, teens and adults can participate in cave painting, learn about archaeology, see “beneath your feet” live animals from the Oklahoma City Zoo and enjoy groundbreaking improv comedy from a six-person professional troupe.
All these special activities are in addition to many regularly-scheduled story times, book clubs, movie screenings, game times and classes. Calendars and catalogs at the library’s front desk have all the details.
“We hope readers of all ages will explore all things underground this summer,” said Head Librarian Christine Sauro. “It’s important for children to keep up their reading skills.”
Once again this year, free lunches will be available to anyone under age 18 Monday-Friday at noon in the Whiteacre Room, says Children’s Librarian Anita Ross. Sack lunches are provided by the Summer Food Service Program of the McAlester Public School Child Nutrition Office.
Children are urged to “Dig into Reading” with a variety of special programs each Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. After the big Oklahoma City Zoo kickoff shows on June 5, other children’s performances will include: Professor B. Looney, with a program about worms; a Science Safari with Susan Campbell, along with “Franklin the Corn Snake;” storyteller Michael Corley, with tales of Magic Rocks; puppeteer Joann McMillan, with stories of dragons, bats and buried treasure; Extreme Animals; Steve Crawford the “Magic Archaeologist,” asking “What’s Underfoot?”; a “Mad Science” Journey to the Center of the Earth; and a big concluding show with Native American storyteller Will Hill.
In other special children’s activities, Congressman MarkWayne Mullin will be at the library to read to children on Monday, June 10 at 10 a.m. and the annual Babysitting Workshop will be from 1-3 p.m. July 15-16 and July 18-19.
Laurissa Wilson, Summer Reading Aide, will present outreach programs at Savanna and Crowder. Children’s books for checkout, stories, activities, songs and prizes will be part of the programs. At Savanna, programs will be at 1 p.m. Mondays June 17-July 22 in the Family Living Room of Savanna Public Schools. At Crowder, programs will be at 1 p.m. Thursdays June 20-July 25, except on July 4, at the Choctaw Community Center.
The theme for teens this year is “Beneath the Surface.” Teen Librarian Erin Austin leads off summer activities with a “Cave Painting” session for teens at 2 p.m. June 5. Other activities set throughout the summer include: Teen Challenges, game times, a Steampunk Jewelry-Making session, a “Hobbit Afternoon,” cooking classes, origami classes and a big Harry Potter afternoon, complete with costume contest.
Teens can earn points for prizes and a chance to win an iPad Mini by reading and participating in programs.
“Groundbreaking Reads” is the adult theme. For adults and families, Assistant Librarian Kathy McGilberry has scheduled the first big program for “Family Fun Night,” with a presentation by the McAlester Archaeology Society Tuesday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Whiteacre Room. Presenters currently have a display in the library lobby showing artifacts taken from a Cherokee County archaeology dig. They will show more tools and artifacts in their program, titled “What Is Archaeology?”
Then on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m., a group of performers from OKC Improv will put on a big, free show in the Whiteacre Room. The touring company consists of improvisers from many separate groups, all trained in both long form scenes improv and short form games improv. During a show, they will perform scenes and games using audience suggestions and ask audience volunteers to join in the fun.
The group, which includes McAlester’s Kellen Hodgeson and Haywood’s Jacklyn Cosgrove, is now in its fourth year of performance. Two troupe members will return June 20 to teach a free improv workshop to those who register.
Other adult/family activities scheduled throughout the summer include: an Audience Participation Princess Bride event June 8, with free toys and favors for all who attend; a free five-week genealogy course taught by David Beall, Robert and Diane Pulse and George Scott; a talk from Oklahoma Geological Survey hydrogeologist Kyle Murray on Oklahoma’s water future; Southeast Oklahoma Mining History with Ron Cunningham; a talk on the Butterfield Stagecoach Line by author Lois Edington; a “living history” performance by McAlester’s Lois Phifer, portraying Harriet Tubman, Conductor of the Underground Railroad; and, in August, a performance and poetry workshop by Nathan Brown, newly-named State Poet Laureate of Oklahoma.
Throughout the entire Summer Reading Program, participants will have the opportunity to take home free reading kits, register to win prizes, including a Kindle Fire, and get familiar with the library and the many services it offers.
For more information on these or any other library program, call 918-426-0930. The library is located at 401 N. 2nd and is open Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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