Summer Reading Program for youths

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Roseburg Youth Services Librarian Aurora Ropp has been hard at work creating this year’s Summer Reading Program for children and teens, which starts Saturday, June 1.

“At Roseburg Public Library, I do not present public children’s programs in May to give myself time to finish planning and preparing for the Summer Reading Program,” Ropp shares.

The Summer Reading Program runs from Saturday, June 1, through Saturday, Aug. 24. Over those 12 weeks, the library offers 61 programs, hundreds of reading prizes, 240 craft kits every week, numerous outreach events, extra summer volunteers and presenters.

“All that fun needs scheduling, coordinating, purchasing and pieces put together, which is both the most exciting and stressful portion of my work at the library,” Ropp added.

You can keep up to date on the Summer Reading Program on the library’s website at www.roseburgpubliclibrary.org. The Events Calendar includes program details, and the Summer Reading Program page has reading logs, book review slips, the prize list and the StoryWalk® schedule.

Information also will be available at outreach events, including Roseburg School District’s Lunchbox Express at various locations on Mondays throughout the summer.

The foundation of the Summer Reading Program is reading. At Roseburg Public Library, children and teens will have a total of three logs to track their time reading, as they did last summer. A Roseburg Library card is not required to participate.

When participants read, or are read to, for seven hours, they can turn in their log for a book, trinkets and the next log. Reading 14 hours and completing the second log will earn participants another book and trinkets. Completing the final log – reading a total of 21 hours – will enter participants into the grand prize drawing, and they will receive a third book and more trinket prizes.

Ropp gave a special “thank you” to Karen and Jon Wittwer for donating prizes for readers. Three grand prizes will be given away this year – $200 gift cards for a party at TenDown Bowling in Roseburg.

In addition to reading logs, the library will continue the popular book review raffle for larger prizes. Children and youth can write or draw about a book they read or were read to for a chance to win the prizes displayed in the lobby case. The library has awesome prizes such as two large Squishmallows, a veterinarian play set, crafting kits and Lego sets.

The library will offer four regularly scheduled programs throughout the summer. At 1 p.m. Tuesdays from June 11 through Aug. 20, there will be an activity or special presentation at the library for pre-K through fifth graders.

“Storytime with Aurora” will be held Stewart Park Pavilion at 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday from June 5 through Aug. 21.

“Storytime” will be held at the library at 10:15 a.m. every Thursday from June 6 through Aug. 22 (except July 4).

From 1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays from June 13 through Aug. 22, the library will offer an activity for youth in sixth to 12^th grades.

At 10:30 a.m. Fridays from June 14 through Aug. 23, library staff will offer an activity for pre-K through fifth graders at the Stewart Park Pavilion.

The library is hosting a very special program for artists ages 9 and up. Former “The Simpsons” artist Carlos Nieto III will present “Animé Your Way” drawing classes Tuesday, June 18, through Thursday, June 20, for children aged 9 through 12, teens aged 13 through 17 and adults 18 and older. Note that the family class scheduled on Thursday, June 20 is full, and the library is no longer adding names to the wait list.

“Animé Your Way” is the only summer program in which registration is required to attend. Call 541-492-7050 or visit the library’s website to sign up.

Library staff are partnering with Roseburg Parks and Recreation to provide pre-show entertainment for “Movies in the Park” at the Stewart Park Nichols Band Shell -- aka the “Half Shell”-- on Friday, June 7. At 7:30 p.m., comedy magician Stefano Iaboni will perform and youth will be able to choose a free book and receive a craft kit.

The library is planning to hold the third annual “Harry Potter Day” at the library from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27. There will be wand making, transfiguration, Harry Potter trivia and prizes throughout the day, and a magic show at 11 a.m. Participants are encouraged to dress up!

There also will be a raffle for attendees 18 and under for a Harry Potter quilt. The winner must be present at the noon drawing. This will be a fun day of activity for the whole family, Ropp shared.

StoryWalk® will be displayed at parks throughout Roseburg from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday from June 3 through Aug. 24. A new bilingual StoryWalk® featuring “Lola at the Library”/“Lola en la biblioteca” written by Anna McQuinn and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw will debut Monday, June 3, at Stewart Park near the Half Shell.

Last, but certainly not least, grab-and-go craft kits will be available first come, first served at the library at 10 a.m. every Tuesday beginning June 4.

The Summer Reading Program is made possible by the C. Giles Hunt Charitable Trust, Douglas County Cultural Coalition, Friends of the Roseburg Public Library, Roundhouse Foundation and State Library of Oregon.

For more information about the library, including how to get a library card, visit the library’s website, email library@cityofroseburg.org or call 541-492-7050.