The Seaside Public Library’s Summer Reading program started June 3 with fireworks and juggling mice. OK, well, maybe the fireworks and performing mice didn’t make it in time, I made that part up, but all the kids who did show up had an great time at the fun stations for the kickoff party. Kids who signed up at the kickoff party for summer reading even got a free book.

This year’s theme is “Build a Better World.” Events and the reading challenge for all ages will be held all summer long. Children and teens will be reading for free books and prizes, as well as a chance to be in the countywide grand prize drawings. The drawings include a giveaway of several Kindle Fires and baskets of books. The Seaside Library has won a best practices award two times for our summer reading program from the State Library. Goals for summer reading include keeping children engaged and reading all summer long, practicing early literacy skills with our 0-5 year old Storytime group, while ensuring literacy is the primary focus of all of our programs and events.

One of the events you won’t want to miss at the Seaside Public Library this summer is the amazing International Border Collies who will be at the library on June 22. Some of these dogs are rescue dogs and they can do tricks like you wouldn’t believe. They performed at the Seaside Public Library a few years ago and these talented doggies wowed the crowd. We will also have two puppet shows this year. Penny’s Puppets on June 30 and the Dragon Puppet Theater (My personal favorite) on July 14. We will also have an event around the once in a life time Solar Eclipse. If you missed our kickoff party, don’t worry. You can still sign up all summer long for the reading challenge. Attending events at the library, as always, is completely free.

Adults can also participate in the summer reading program and turn in reading hours for a chance to win a prize. Just ask for your reading hours at the front desk. Bring the whole family to the library on Saturday, July 1, for a rousing good musical time as The Friends of the Seaside Library host Brass Ops the 234th Army Band of the Oregon National Guard. The concert will take place at 1:00 p.m.

Brass Ops is a 12-member musical performance team of the 234th Army Band of the Oregon National Guard. The show will include a variety of music that will highlight drums, ukulele, barbershop quartet, and of course the Army brass band. The event will be centered on our Summer Reading Program and much of the music will tell stories using high energy traditional and contemporary brass arrangements.

For teens, a lot of our great teen events will be helping to build a better world by giving back to our community. Teens will get to make dog or cat toys to donate to our local animal shelter and also make blankets for Project Linus which donates blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. Teens can also do some other very awesome events at the Library’s weekly Teen Tuesday programs, all of which are listed at the library’s website: www.seasidelibrary.org. Stop by the library to pick up a schedule of events and keep reading all summer while we work together to Build a Better World.