On Monday, The Mississippi County Library System will kick off its annual summer reading program titled "Dig Into Reading."
The program, which is free, provides fun activities for children across the county at each Mississippi County Library System location.
Kevin Barron, assistant director of the Mississippi County Library System, said the public libraries of Arkansas, together with the libraries from almost all of the states in the country, participate in the Collaborative Summer Library Program. States have been working together since 1987 to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children at the lowest cost possible for public libraries.
"The library does the summer program simply because our children and youth continue to stand in need of sustained and consistent educational enrichment," Barron said. "Our schools continue to strive to provide a balanced and challenging education that will enable our students to compete and succeed in the twenty-first century. However, when school is out for the summer, the very real problem of educational loss presents itself. Our summer program exists to make that difference in the lives of our kids."
Barron went to say that this year's summer program will provide many activities to the children of Mississippi County. Some of the highlights of this year's program will be returning favorites the Natural History Educational Company of the Midsouth, visiting all of the libraries in both June and July, and the Lowe's toy workshop, offered at Blytheville and Osceola. In addition, each library will offer the story and craft times presented by the excellent local library personnel.
First-time programs include Paleo Joe the Dinosaur Scientist, performing on Friday, June 7, and Rick Rayburg presenting his musical reading show on Friday, July 12. Both these events will be offered in Blytheville and Osceola and will include pizza, drinks and, on July 12, prizes to wrap up the summer events.
Also visiting all of the libraries for the first time ever, from June 3-5, will be Smokey Bear. Appearing on other Fridays are the Mobile Dairy Classroom on June 14, the Dig Into Reading Magic Show on June 21, and the Technology Petting Zoo on June 28. From June 17-20, the Alan Bean Amazing Astronaut Art Show will tour the county, making stops in Leachville, Blytheville, Manila and Osceola.
Call your local library for details on what they are offering.
A prize drawing will take place at each public library in Mississippi County and will be held at the end of the summer program.
"The more books you read, the more programs you attend, the better your chances of winning," Barron said. "Grand prizes may include Ninetendo consoles, bicycles and tickets to attractions in Memphis and elsewhere."