Free Fuel for Your Think Tank

By Brenda Thomson, Community Relations Coordinator

July 13, 2011

Summertime, and the living is . . . expensive! I can’t complain about gas prices because they mean my husband and many others with jobs related to the oilfield are getting paid.

But I do know that gas prices, as well as other costs, are inspiring many families to stay close-to-home this summer, rather than taking road trips or visiting exotic locales.

Even so, gas prices are no reason not to take a fun trip this summer. All you need is a good book and your imagination! If you need some new books to choose from, come visit your library – we have plenty, available to you for free.

Want to set up a fun date night without spending a bundle? Here is a great idea from one of our patrons. She and her husband choose a country. They check out travel guides, novels, cookbooks, music or movies related to that country. Then on date-night they put in a CD to set the mood, cook up some ethnic cuisine, and enjoy the new tastes while looking through travel books or enjoying a movie together.

Weather feeling a little warm? Why not spend a day indoors, reading about polar bears, glaciers and arctic explorers? Watch a documentary about sea creatures, try out a new smoothie recipe, or laugh aloud with the folks from “Northern Exposure.”

Kids getting bored of their normal summer break activities? Grab a book on knot-tying, magic, ventriloquism, origami, or cooking and they can spend time learning a new hobby. If they don’t like the first one they try, your library has plenty more topics, and you can try them all out for free!

If you are getting out of Dodge for a few days, look up your destination in one of our many travel guides. Read up on local attractions and plan your route. Don’t forget to pick up a couple of audiobooks to listen to on the road.

Reading is a great way to fuel up your think tank – providing hours of entertainment, improving skills needed for school and life, and giving each of us the opportunity to learn about and explore the world around us.

Thousands of kids, teens and adults are doing just that through the library’s summer reading programs. In fact, 599 kids and 179 teens signed up on the very first day – a new record!

During summer reading programs, kids get to see free shows by puppeteers, storytellers and magicians, then check out books afterwards about dinosaurs, princesses, airplanes, juggling, or whatever floats their boat.

Reading, or being read to, earns prizes for kids and teens, and entries into a travel-themed prize drawing for adults.

Kids who read during the summer have a blast, learn new things, and lose less of the knowledge and skills they gained during the school year. Parents are encouraged to be good examples (and have fun) by reading too!

It is not too late to get involved – summer reading programs are free and run until July 30. Call 577-READ for more information or visit any library branch to get started.

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