The Douglas County Library will be hosting Reading Colors Your World, a summer reading program that runs from June 7 to July 31 which features multiple events and programs throughout the summer for kids and teens to senior citizens — even a chance to get a free pass to any Minnesota State Park.

Beanstack

Beanstack is an online reading tracker for kids and adults to track their reading hours. Prizes will be awarded after putting in 10 hours of reading. The prizes start small, from building blocks to temporary tattoo sheets, with the largest prize being a free book. Readers can register for Beanstack on the library’s website under the events tab.

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Programs for K-5

The in-person programs are all filled up, but there are still zoom sessions available, as well as the opportunity to be put on a waiting list in case a spot opens up. Call the library to register for Zoom events or to check for openings, there is a waitlist for in-person sessions. The in-person programs run every Tuesday and Thursday, with Zoom sessions held on Wednesdays.

Marble Maze Paper Plates

• June 8: 2-3 p.m., in-person

• June 9: 2-3 p.m., via Zoom

• June 10: 10:30-11:30 a.m., in person

DIY Painted Fairy Houses

• June 15: 2-3 p.m., in-person

• June 16: 2-3 p.m., via Zoom

• June 17: 10:30-11:30 a.m., in person

Splatter Art

• June 22: 2-3 p.m., in-person

• June 23: 2-3 p.m., via Zoom

• June 24: 10:30-11:30 a.m., in person

Glow in the Dark Dinosaur Lantern

• June 29: 2-3 p.m., in-person

• June 30: 2-3 p.m., via Zoom

• July 1: 10:30-11:30 a.m., in person

Pirate Treasure Map Totes

• July 6: 2-3 p.m., in-person

• July 7: 2-3 p.m., via Zoom

• July 8: 10:30-11:30 a.m., in person

Button and Magnet Making

• July 13: 2-3 p.m., in-person

• July 15: 10:30-11:30 a.m, in person

Bean Art Animals

• July 20: 2-3 p.m., in-person

• July 21: 2-3 p.m., via Zoom

• July 22: 10:30-11:30 a.m., in person

The library is also hosting a find the character challenge, where kids get to search around the library to find a character hidden by the staff for a chance to earn a prize.
Baby storytime will be held on Fridays at 10 a.m., and Summer Storytime for kids ages 3-5 and families will be held every Wednesday on the courthouse lawn from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Participants are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Every Friday at 2 p.m., except for July 2, the library hosts movie time.

On July 28 at 4 p.m., the library will host the Hillbilly Silly Science Spectacular. The Hillbilly show features eccentric characters who will demonstrate homemade science experiments from volcanoes to optical illusions, canons, and more.

Teen programs

There are still in-person programs available for teens ages 12-19. Teens will have the opportunity to create a marbled coaster and mug set using nail polish, make an American flag out of an old cereal box brought from home, as well as join the Young Adult book club. The first book for the YA club will be “I Am Not Dying With You Tonight” by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones.

State park passes

After 146 applicants, Douglas County Library was one of 64 Minnesota Libraries approved for the State Park Pass program. The library received three state park passes to lend out for free. The passes are good at any Minnesota State Park for up to a week. People who wish to receive a temporary pass must show up to the library in person and request a park pass. The program operates on a first-come, first-serve basis; participants can not reserve passes. Participants must return the pass after its use and are encouraged to fill out an online survey about their experience. Those wishing to check out the pass again must wait three weeks to accommodate others who want to take advantage of the state park passes.

“It’s a great thing. After everyone has been shut-in, let’s get outside. There are many great parks in our State. Let’s take advantage of them for exercise and family time,” Dawn Dailey, Douglas County Library director.

Tech-savvy seniors

The Douglas County Library received a grant of $59,656.31 to purchase tech gear and expose Senior citizens to various forms of technology to find what fits their needs best. Everything from tablets, e-readers, Ring door alarms, Alexas, to large button-phones, etc. The idea is to run a “technology zoo” where seniors can come and get introduced to gadgets they may not have seen or used before and figure out what device will put some ease into their life. The library has used this Grant to run basic computer classes at senior centers using tablets.

Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Library is a group of volunteer community members dedicated to helping the Douglas County Library since 1982. They run the book store inside the library, filled with books donated by the community (always accepting donations), and donate money from the store to the library. They also volunteer their time to help out with these summer events. Friends of the Library will be hosting their annual book sale at the Armory from July 27-29. For $5, you can fill a bag with as many books as you can manage to fit.