Build It! is the theme of this year’s Summer Reading Club at Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) branches in the South Okanagan Similkameen region.
All nine library locations — Summerland, Naramata, Kaleden, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Keremeos, Hedley and Princeton — have planned free special events and programs throughout the summer to ensure school-aged children improve their literacy skills and have fun while on holiday.
Summer Reading Club is an annual focus of the ORL regional library system, with support from the BC Library Association, the Ministry of Education and local Friends of the Library groups.
ORL staff have witnessed first hand the enjoyment that Summer Reading Club programs can bring to families and its connections to the community.
“We are fortunate to have three community members — local beekeepers, a band teacher, and a yoga teacher — who will be speakers for three of our programs this summer,” said community librarian of the Keremeos Branch, Debra Holley.
Each summer a province-wide theme for the Reading Club is chosen with activities and booklists relating to the theme. For 2015, illustrator, animator and game designer Shayne Letain created the Built It! theme to encourage active participation and creativity from program participants. Games, reading lists, colouring pages and construction projects that can be done at home can be found on the BC Summer Reading Club website at www.kidssrc.ca.
Local magician Leif David, known to many as Ali K. Zam, created a special new 45-minute magic show based on the Build It! theme and will tour all 29 ORL branches over the summer.
To join Summer Reading Club, check with your local library branch for detailed registration information and activity dates. Every branch has reading logs to track children’s reading activity with medals for completion.
Penticton hosts the Summer Reading Club Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. until Aug. 5 with the wrap party on Aug. 12.
Summerland Branch is hosting special events on Tuesday evenings until Aug. 11; pick up free tickets at the branch. Thursday morning activities until Aug. 13 are drop-in. Naramata Branch will host special events each Monday in July and Aug. 10.
Okanagan Falls Branch is hosting activities on Tuesdays in July plus a special event on Aug. 5. Osoyoos Branch is currently accepting registration and their activities will be held on Wednesday evenings until Aug. 5. Every child that registers at the Oliver Branch will receive a selection of Lego bricks to add to the branch’s Lego tower, with the goal of reaching the library ceiling. Special activities will be held every Thursday until Aug. 6.
Keremeos Branch has programs running on July 10 and 24, and Aug. 14 and 28; registration is required.
Visit www.orl.bc.ca/branches for more information on the Summer Reading Club.