After more than a year of reduced activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, summer programming has returned to the Carlyle Public Library.
Starting July 8, the Carlyle Public Library will begin offering both virtual and in-person programming for children of all ages. Each Thursday throughout the summer will feature interactive and enriching literacy activities.听
The first two weeks of programming will include the already-popular take-and-make literacy craft kits and online videos through the library鈥檚 Facebook page and YouTube channel.听
In-person programs are slated to resume following the lifting of provincial COVID-19 health restrictions on July 11. The first in-person programs will be held on July 15.
Librarian Jennifer Sedor said that in the beginning, pre-registration will be required for in-person programming.
鈥淚 think the first few classes we will do pre-registrations, just to get an idea of numbers (and) so we don't have too many people all at once out of the gate,鈥� Sedor said. 鈥淲e are kind of out of practice (of) running programming so it'll give us an idea of how to prepare and what kind of numbers we can expect.鈥�
Story Hour on Thursday mornings is geared towards toddlers through to kindergarten-aged children, while the TD Summer Reading club for school-aged children will be held in the afternoon.
The theme of this year鈥檚 TD Summer Reading Club is Game On and focuses on getting kids engaged in all kinds of play.
鈥淚t's all about board games, learning how to play outside, team activities, or any kind of game,鈥� Sedor said.
The Summer Reading Club also features reading passports that allow kids and parents to track how many books they read 鈥� or have read to them 鈥� over the summer. A sticker is given for each book read and once kids fill their passport they can bring it back to the library to redeem for a prize. Children can complete as many passports as they like and all passports will be entered into a draw for a very special prize at the end of the summer.
Something new being offered this year is the 鈥減op-up library鈥� program, which will see summer programming assistant Sydney Flynn bring all the fun of the Carlyle Public Library out into the community.听
鈥淭hroughout the summer we are going to have pop up libraries heading out to the pool, to the park, to the splash park,鈥� Sedor said. 鈥淥ur summer program co-ordinator ... will be out there with some games and she'll be out there with some prizes and some crafts to grab and go on site.鈥�
Sedor is excited to welcome patrons back to the Carlyle Public Library after many months of COVID-19 restrictions, especially since the library underwent renovations earlier this year.
鈥淲e want people to come hang out at the library ... since we put in the new seating area and the new computer area, we haven't had people (in) and really enjoy it,鈥� Sedor said.听
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鈥淚'm really excited to have the coffee pot and have people come in and visit, bring their kids, hang out and use this as a gathering place again.鈥�
Reading passports and take-and-make kits can be picked up at the Carlyle Public Library. More information about summer programming can be found on the library鈥檚 Facebook page.听
