By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
That’s not a bounce house in the atrium of the Wood County District Public Library, that’s a moon bounce. And this isn’t the kick off to the library’s summer reading program, it’s a blast off.
A steady stream of youngsters line up, or line up about as well as youngsters can as they wait to enter the moon bounce.
So Friday afternoon the chairs usually occupied by adult patrons reading quietly have been moved out. The grand piano, whose strains sometimes fill the space with classical music, has been safely covered and pushed aside. Now the atrium is filled with chatter and laughter of youngsters.
Fitting because they’re about to head off on an adventure, the library’s summer reading program, “A Universe of Stories.” (http://bgindependentmedia.org/universe-of-stories-is-theme-for-summer-reading-program/).
That’s the national summer reading theme, explained Children’s Librarian Maria Simon. It was chosen to mark the 50th anniversary this July of the Apollo 11 mission that landed men on the moon.
Simon said she was 5 that momentous July, the same age as many of these children, now antsy and ready to take their turn in the moon bounce.
“It’s just phenomenal to think where we’ll be when they’re 55 years old,” she said. “They need to pay attention to all things science and stay active and healthy and curious and engaged. We say we want to keep their brains fired up and their imaginations ignited this summer. That’s our goal.”
What better way than having a moon bounce right there in the middle of the library.
“They really have a lot of energy,” Simon said. “We have a lot of energy for the summer, and we want to meet their energy. It’s a great opportunity to see a lot of ages interact and to be really active.”
The moon bounce shows just how active they are. There are also books ready-at-hand, and Simon gets a chance to converse with these young readers
about what else they like to do and what they want to read this summer.
She didn’t have any numbers available yet on how many have signed up— she was too busy ushering youngsters in and out of the moon bounce — but interest is high. That’s evident from the number of new faces she saw.
The library’s call for volunteens also got a good response. “The theme has gotten their attention, and they know we’re here to have a good time,” Simon said. “They know we’re busy and need their help.” They certainly were busy assisting moon bouncers on Friday.
The library is still signing up teens as young 11 for the program. “They train each other and learn a lot about how the library works.”
The library is also tying in its 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program into the space theme.
The library will kick off the third year of the program June 8 at 10 a.m. with a visit by Jon Agee. This year’s book give-away is Agee’s “Life on Mars,” described by the publisher as a “sneaky, silly picture book” about “an intrepid but not so clever space explorer (who) is certain he’s found the only living thing on Mars.”The program encourages families and caregivers to read 1,000 books to children before they enter kindergarten.
The summer reading program continues until Aug. 6 when the end of summer party in City Park will be held.
