The Gilmer County Library will welcome back live entertainment and activities for its upcoming Summer Reading Program.
This year, the free educational summer program, which runs June 1-July 31, has an animal-related theme, Tails & Tales, noted Alex Thomerson, library manager.
A popular component of almost any library Summer Reading Program, live programming was excluded from the schedule last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s summer program will feature some of the first in-person events to be held at the library since last March.
“We’re very happy to be going back to in-person programming,” said Thomerson. “All Sequoyah Regional Library branches will be having virtual and in-person programming for the Summer Reading Program, but most of it is going to be in person. We have quite a few events (scheduled). One that we’re real happy to have in July is Gerald Hodge and Friends of the Bears. They will be providing one program geared to ages 6-12 and another program for adults.”
Thomerson said the live programs will be socially distanced and some, like a June 16 safari-themed family storytime, will be held outdoors in the library’s Master Gardener-maintained educational garden.
Thomerson said those who want to attend the live programs are encouraged to register in advance and wear protective face coverings when coming to the library.
“The registration link for any of our programs is on the program calendar on our website. Any program has a registration link that takes you right to it. The reason we have registration has to do with our socially-distanced programming. It allows us to know how many people we (will have),” he added.
Readers can keep up with books they finish over the summer by downloading the free Beanstack app or visiting SequoyahRegionalLibrary.Beanstack.org. There are summer reading levels for children, adults, and teens, and readers can sign up individually or as a family.
Keeping track on Beanstack offers chances to be entered to win various prizes. Thomerson said paper reading logs will also be available by contacting the library at 706-635-4528. The full schedule of summer events can be found online at CalendarWiz.com/SequoyahRegLib.
All branches of the Sequoyah Regional Library System, including Gilmer County, will also implement a fine-free effort that will coincide with this year’s Summer Reading Program. From the beginning of June through the end of July, fines will not be charged for most overdue items returned to the library.
Certain fines may be excluded from forgiveness, Thomerson noted.