End of Summer Reading Party.

If you think of libraries as places where people go only to quietly check out books or do research, you haven’t been to the Harper Library in Southport or the Barbee Library in Oak Island. There you can do much more, including participate in a Summer Reading Program, funded by the Friends of the Library Southport & Oak Island. Heather Donnell and Erika Dosher are branch managers of Harper and Barbee, respectively, and offered to tell us a little about the Summer Reading Program.

Heather: Its foundation is a system where kids log the minutes that they’ve spent reading books, to earn prizes from a treasure chest. This year’s theme was Oceans of Possibilities, so prizes included things like plush fish and other ocean-related toys. And we provide free, fun activities, some outdoors, that encourage reading during each week of the program. Our foam party was a huge hit; we had an area filled with foam and billed it as ‘like a pool party without the water”. The kids had a blast! The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher does a program each year, and they always bring an animal, which the kids love.

Bright Star Theatre and the Pirate of Bully Bay.

Erika: Most of the kids who come to the programs are reading and logging minutes, but they don’t have to be. We have some who come to the events because they’re staying with their grandparents and they’re looking for something fun to do. Most of the programs are geared toward younger children, but we do have some older ones who just read and log minutes to get prizes from the treasure chest and come to the end-of-the-season party. The whole point is to encourage reading and make reading fun! One of my favorite programs this year was Sharon Clarke, a musician and storyteller, because she brings easy-to-play instruments and is so interactive with the kids. This year, we had Mary Ellen from Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter come and bring Tim the Pelican and Bogie the owl. It was a big hit, and we even got to pet the pelican!

Heather: The kids really enjoy all our programs. We’re grateful to everyone who donates to Friends of the Library Southport & Oak Island, including BEMC, because they’re the reason we can make them happen. We do our best to make the library a place that is welcoming and enjoyable, so that people want to visit. Each April, families start asking what’s going to be going on this summer, and they get so excited when we tell them. Thank you for helping us make them happy — and growing the next generation of readers!