West Liberty Public Library
2022 Summer Reading Program!
The Summer Reading Program is back! From June 6 to July 31, the West Liberty Public Library will be holding the annual Summer Reading Program for community members of all ages!
The theme for the 2022 summer reading program is Read Beyond the Beaten Path. Programming this year will encompass a world of different summer experiences: from outdoor activities and family fun shows to arts and crafts, genealogy, storytimes, and so much more! Through programs and activities, the goal is to bring a fun summer reading experience to all participating patrons!
Starting on June 6, patrons can pick up reading logs to participate and calendars to stay informed about programming. Each age level (Youth, Teen, Adult) will have unique programs to attend and different prizes to win.
Adults (16+) who participate will be given book logs in the form of a bookmark, each of which can be completed by reading six books. There will also be two take-and-make kits and two major programs for our adult participants!
The first adult program will be a Storytelling Workshop with author Chuy Renteria, and the second will be a Genealogy Crash Course with Muscatine County Genealogical Society member Anne Thomas.
Youth & Teens (ages birth through 18) who sign up have an interactive summer reading sheet where they can choose to track their reading minutes, complete library & summer activities, or both! Whether kiddos are readers or not, they can participate with challenges and activities at the local library. So come visit us for weekly Kids and Teen programs, themed family storytimes, and take & make kits!
Youth & teen patrons will be able to join in on group disc golf, making fairy gardens, telling ghost stories, and so much more! Youth programming will also include two major family shows; a Pop Art show with NYC artist Michael Albert, and a Giggle Quest family fun show!
While we at the library believe reading is a prize in itself, we’ll also have a variety of real-world prizes for participating and completing reading logs and activities.
Adults will vie for the grand prize of a year-long Book of the Month subscription alongside bookish accessories (totes, bookmarks, markers, etc.)! Youth prizes include an incentive prize (books, fidget toys, stuffed animals, etc.) upon completing and can then enter the grand prize drawings, including a family pass to the Iowa Children’s Museum, a DEFY Trampoline Park pass, a Mythbusters Science Exploration Kit, & book baskets for each age group!
To be a part of the Summer Reading Program, you can sign up beginning on June 6! Visit us at the library to get started! Youth sign-up will be available at the downstairs circulation desk and adult sign-up will be available at the upstairs circulation desk. All scheduled events will be available online at wlpl.org in our Events tab. Physical calendar copies will also be available at both the upstairs and downstairs circulation desks!
The Youth Summer Reading Program, including program materials, take & make kits, prizes, and entertainer fees are being generously sponsored by MidWestOne Bank this summer. We thank them for their community support of our library and youth!
WEST LIBERTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SELECTED FOR COMPETITIVE FEDERAL HUMANITIES GRANT
$10,000 Grant Will Help the Library Recover from the Coronavirus Pandemic
WEST LIBERTY — WEST LIBERTY PUBLIC LIBRARY has been selected as one of 200 libraries nationwide for the American Library Association’s American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries opportunity, an emergency relief program to assist libraries that have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
With funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, West Liberty Public Library will use funds to anchor itself in the community as a strong humanities institution. The competitive award comes with a $10,000 grant that will help the library deliver excellent programs and services related to culture, history, literature, and other humanities subjects.
More than 370 libraries applied for the grant, according to ALA. View the full list of selected libraries.
The participating libraries, selected through a competitive, peer-reviewed application process, include public libraries, academic/college libraries, K-12 libraries, and tribal, special and prison libraries. The recipients represent 45 states and Puerto Rico and serve communities ranging in size from 642 residents in Weir, Kansas, to the city of Los Angeles. Libraries were chosen with an emphasis on reaching historically underserved and/or rural communities.
“We are so pleased to be selected for this grant,” said Library Director Allie Paarsmith. “This will really help us increase interest and access to our community archive, ensuring that the story of West Liberty can be shared easily”
West Liberty Public Library will use the grant funds to diversify the archives to better reflect the history of West Liberty and its community members.
“Libraries have faced significant hardships throughout the pandemic —from budget cuts to staff furloughs to building closures — especially in our communities of the greatest need,” said ALA President Patty Wong. “This crucial support from NEH will enable our beloved institutions, and the dedicated people who run them, to rebuild and emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.”
American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021."
