People of all ages are invited to take part in McAlester Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program beginning Wednesday, June 1—this year with a physical fitness twist.
Not only will there be two full months of activities ranging from exercise-themed children’s programs to seated exercises for older adults, but employees of the library have entered the Taking Shape Pittsburg County fitness initiative.
The entire staff is entered in a “Steps Taken/Pages Read” challenge in conjunction with the county-wide TSPC activities. The goal is 100 people pledging to take 10,000 steps per day and read five books per month in June and July.
“With support and encouragement from the community, we can reach our goal of 1,000 books read and one million steps taken,” said Kathy McGilberry, Head Librarian. “And remember, those five books can certainly include books read aloud to a child.”
Each library patron signing up for the challenge gets a free pedometer. All ages are eligible. Signups for this, and for the children’s, teen and adult reading programs, are available at the library.
Children’s programs are always popular, and kickoff day Wednesday features a 10 a.m. performance by the Mad Science troupe titled “Be Fit, Be Well, Be Happy.” All Wednesday children’s performances begin at 10 a.m. and repeat at 1 p.m. in the Whiteacre Room. In between is the noon free lunch program “The Lunch Bunch.”
The Lunch Bunch meets every day Monday-Thursday at noon.
Other scheduled children’s activities, all with the theme “On Your Mark, Get Set, READ!” are:
*Tuesdays—Lap Sit story time at 10 a.m. for children from birth to age five. “We will read good books, do finger plays, sing songs and be active,” Children’s Librarian Anita Ross said.
Movie Time at 2 p.m. each Tuesday, with free soft drinks and popcorn. All ages are welcome.
*Wednesdays—Special performances at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. will feature old favorites and new local performers. The remaining lineup is: June 8, McAlester Tae Kwon Do, showing martial arts moves and attention-focusing discipline; June 15, Extreme Animals, with live animals to see, touch and learn about; June 22, Kaylee Stanfield with a Hula Hoop performance that emphasizes artistry, fitness and how kids can make their own hoops; June 29, Books Alive! Literacy in Action from the Oklahoma Wondertorium, featuring Lori Turman, who will entertain with music and an educational presentation;
Also, July 6, Joann McMillan with giant puppets in “The Animal Carnival,” with young audience members participating in the puppet parade through the library; July 13, songster Monty Harper’s “The Music Man” program, featuring songs about being fit and active; July 20, Steve Crawford presenting “Doc Crawford’s Medicine Show,” with magic tricks in an Old West setting; and July 27, Native American storyteller Will Hill telling amazing stories of animals.
*Thursdays—OSU Extension and the library will cooperate on 10 a.m. programs about food, exercise and health. There will be snacks and lots of handouts. These programs are for ages six and up.
Game Time each Thursday at 2 p.m. will feature video games, board games and sometimes, a craft. These sessions are for ages six and up.
For teen library-goers, there will be much to do. “This year’s Summer Reading Program will keep teens active and engaged,” promised Teen Librarian Yuliya Whorton. The theme is “Get in the Game: READ!”.
Mondays–Every Monday in June and July will be “Dauntless Monday,” encouraging teen fitness. Local gyms will be demonstrating unique workout techniques. All teens will be able to participate, and Whorton noted that experience is not necessary. Signature Fitness and Dave’s Fitness Plus are included in the list of presenters.
First Wednesdays– Teen Cooking Class from 2-4 p.m. will show teens how to make healthy summer treats and work together as a team.
Wednesday, June 8–McAlester Tae Kwon Do will present a Karate Demo for all ages, and teens will get to participate during the 2 p m. class.
Wednesday, June 29—Zentanglefrom 2-4 p.m. is a way to doodle. “While it sounds simple,it is very calming,” Whorton said.
Another creative project will be the Zen Rock Painting on July 27. Teens will paint, draw or write on their rocks. “We have different media to use including nail polish, glitter, acrylic paint, permanent markers and more,” Whorton noted.
Thursdays–Teen Game Time will be held every Thursday at 2 p. m. Video games, board games or cards will be featured, and snacks provided.
Assistant Librarian Sarah Standish has a full roster of programs for adults, too, all designed to reduce stress and increase fitness. The adult Summer Reading theme is “Exercise Your Mind: READ!”.
“If you feel stressed out, try our coloring program. Weak? Check out our Yoga class. Unmotivated by difficult work outs? Ellen’s Seated Exercise program may be for you,” Standish said. “Want to work on your confidence? Go to Open Mic Night. Need a little pick-me-up? We’ve also got a nail art program for adults.”
Yoga can help strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, alleviate pain, and declutter the mind. The McAlester Library is fortunate, Standish noted, since Greg McCann has agreed to teach Yoga to up to 20 people per program.
“We’ve also received a generous donation from GAIAM of 20 yoga mats,” she said. Those who attend the most yoga programs will get to take a mat home for their use at the end of the Summer Reading Program.
“We’ll also have one Karate program on June 8 for adults,” she said. The Yoga and Karate programs are each scheduled for 6 p.m.
Fridays in June and July, the library will host the first-ever Adult Coloring Program from 2-3 p.m.
“What’s so great about coloring, you ask? Coloring involves logic, creativity, and use of fine motor skills. It’s said to be a great way to de-stress. Bring your kids if you’d like–we’ll have coloring and activity sheets for them as well,” Standish said. “We just ask that you keep talking to a minimum, since this should be a calm, peaceful environment.”
Another great stress reliever is gardening, and adult patrons are invited to come meet with the Green Thumb Club on the first Saturdays of June and July at 1 p.m. to share tips and techniques, and even trade seeds. There’s always a door prize for participants.
Still searching for a creative outlet? Come check out the Media Moguls –the group makes monthly projects and gives creative assistance to one another.
If traditional workouts are not your thing, Ellen Barlow’s Seated Exercises may be what you need. She will instruct participants in exercises that can be done on the couch at home in your spare time. These programs will be at 11 a.m. every Monday. Participants who come regularly will be awarded a small prize at the end of the summer.
Paint your nails, learn a new nail art technique, or practice your nail art skills on another willing participant Monday, June 13 and Monday, July 11 at 1 p.m. at the regular Nail Art program.
June 9 and July 14 at 5:30 p.m., adults (and any other age group) are invited to participate in our Open Mic Nights, a program that invites you to show off your skills in song, dance, drama, comedy, magic tricks, and the like. Everyone leaves with a prize.
“Don’t forget about our regularly scheduled programs, either,” Standish said. Our library boasts book clubs for adults: The Bookies, Science Fiction with Clout, Light Readers, Night Readers and Steampunk Book Club.
“We’ve also got our monthly Cooking Challenge – a program that invites people to bring in prepared food and the recipe that inspired that food. In June, our theme is Cheap Eats. In July, it’s Seasonal Produce. “
The library will serve fresh-popped popcorn and cold bottled water to those who attend Second Saturday Cinema, held on the second Saturday of each month at 2 p.m., and at Documentary Matinee each fourth Saturday at 2 p.m.
More information on these and any other library programs is available at the website at mcalesterlibrary.net, by calling 918-426-0930, or at the library, 401 North 2nd. Printed calendars with all the activities are available now at the front desk.
“It’s important for children to and teens to maintain their reading level through the summer months, and it’s just as important that adults keep active minds through reading, so we hope McAlester and surrounding communities will join us as we count our steps and our pages read, and stay fit both physically and mentally,” McGilberry said. “As always, it promises to be a busy summer at the library.”
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