
By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The adventure officially began last Friday but it's not too late to sign up for the Great Bend Public Library's Summer Reading Program. The 2024 edition will end with a Mario Adventure Party on July 19. Circulation Manager Lisa Zier said it takes just a few minutes to sign up for the program.
"Even if you missed the kickoff party, you can sign up at any time," she said. "We have events for children of all ages, so if you are from 1 to 101, you can still participate. We will have prize drawings for the adults. The teens will have an auction where they earn library loot by participating in programs all summer. The kids will have beads to track their progress. Their big prizes come with the Mario Party at the end of summer."
Alpacas from Heartland Farms helped kick off this year's program on the library lawn last Friday. Mario and his friends will also play a large role in this year's theme.
"The Summer Reading theme is 'Adventure Begins at Your Library,'" Zier said. "It's a nationwide theme. We've chosen to end the summer with a Mario Adventure Party. Mario seems to be really popular, always, and that's something that's relatable for a lot of people regardless of age."
There are various ways to earn prizes this summer. Every time patrons check something out from the library, they will be entered into the weekly check-out contest with three different age groups. Reading minutes may also be logged for prizes at the end of summer.
"It doesn't matter how many pages you read, what reading level you are, whether you're reading 'See Spot Run' or 'Anna Karenina,' you're tracking minutes," Zier said. "Listening counts, and if you're reading to your kids, that counts."
Storytime at the library is each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The library has a full slate of Wonder-Full Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. each week. Those begin with a 45-minute show from Dan Dan the Magic Man on June 5, and also include stops from Fort Larned, the Sternberg Museum, Kansas Wetlands Education Center, and Smoky Hills PBS, where every child in attendance will receive a free copy of "Nature Cat: Can you Dig It?" The library also offers many teen and adult-oriented programs, including Trivia Night at Dry Lake Brewing on June 20 and July 18.