Article by Duane Herendeen,  
WCPL Children's Department Supervisor

It’s time to mark your calendars for the 2014 Children’s Summer Reading Program at the Warsaw Community Public Library. With the extreme winter we had this year, we’ve had to do a little tweaking to the program and so it’s actually seven weeks instead of the typical six week program we’ve done in the past.

This year’s theme is science and the fun begins on Monday, June 2, with registration continuing that entire week. You can register online at www.warsawlibrary.org or in person at the children’s reference desk. Once we reach Monday, June 9, we start awarding prizes for the books and pages you’ve read so far. You can continue to register for the program right up to the last day, which is Wednesday, July 18.

Our program is open to children age newborn to entering fifth grade in the upcoming school year. For children age newborn to second grade, for every 25 books you read, you earn a prize and a coupon from a local business. Once you’ve read 150 books, you’ve earned a free re-treasured book and your name goes in for the grand prize.

For children in grades third to fifth, you’ll be counting pages to earn your prizes. For every 375 pages read, you’ll earn a prize and a coupon from a local business. Once you’ve read 1,875 pages, you will have earned a re-treasured book and your name goes in for the grand prize also. As a bonus prize, we encourage each child to set a special goal prize number. This is the number of books/pages you think you can read in the time left during the Summer Reading Program. If you reach that number, you’ll receive a goal prize.

We have a lot of entertainment planned during our Summer Reading Program also. With LEGO Clubs and Stories In the Park every week, to special guests like Ronald McDonald and the Fort Wayne Zoo, you’ll find a great family event to attend. We have two scientist coming to entertain with fun experiments and even a ventriloquist that’s sure to make us laugh.

To end the Summer Reading Program, we’re having a carnival with Science Central on Thursday, July 19. Some programs do require advanced registration due to limited seating. With all children’s programs, there is never a cost to attend and a library card is not required. Let’s keep your children reading during the summer!