Fairfield library to kick off summer reading program

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield Public Library will kick off its summer reading program with a party outside the library from 1-4 p.m. Saturday.

Kids will have the chance to get their reading logs to log the books they read over the summer, and a calendar of summer activities at the library. The first 100 kids to sign up will get a special prize. The event will feature a bouncy house, magic show, face painting, and arts and crafts.

Fairfield Youth Services Librarian Alecs Mickunas said the summer reading kickoff event is just one of many activities the library has planned for kids this summer. Every Monday, the library will hold a craft activity for kids to do at the library or take home. From 1-3 p.m. on Mondays is board game time, where kids can play board games at the library or bring their own.

Every Friday at 1 p.m. will be a free movie for kids, and following that from 3:30-5:30 p.m. will be Lego time.

After the kickoff event, the library will host two more special days for families, one on June 24 with a Pokemon theme and one on July 8 with a fantasy theme.

The library will host a family bike ride on June 16, where they will start at Chautauqua Park and ride to Lamson Woods, where there will be refreshments.

On June 27 and July 18, the usual baby storytime on Monday mornings will change to “play dates and perks” where the library will bring out all its toys, and offer coffee to parents.

The library is partnering with Jefferson County Conservation to offer two joint programs, one on June 9 called Walk Around the Pond at Shelter No. 3 at Jefferson County Park, and one on July 14 at the Jefferson County Nature Center where kids will find animal tracks and make plaster casts of them.

The summer reading program ends July 30 with a raffle prize drawing at the Fairfield Farmers Market. Mickunas said that, due to the generosity of local businesses, the library can give away many prizes this year, including a Google Chromebook as the grand prize.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com