Library Corner: Youth Summer Reading Adventure Announced

by: Katlyn Bullock, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator, Edmonson County Public Library
June is upon us and we are so excited to invite the youth of Edmonson County to take part in all of the adventures we have planned for Youth Summer Reading: Adventure Begins at Edmonson County Public Library! We are making a few exciting changes this year and we want to make everyone aware. First, we would like everyone to know that we are incorporating youth registration forms for each of our programs in June YSR. You can register and find out EVERYTHING about YSR at our website: www.ecplibrary.com. The shift to registration forms was done so that we can better plan the supplies needed and hopefully allow more youth to participate in programing that is age specific. We also have very limited space and cannot allow an unsafe attendance number for fire safety. We do not wish for anyone to feel excluded. We hope that offering a broader range of programs that are recommended for various age groups will help compensate for this shift. We invite everyone to sign up and participate in what interests their child the most. This year’s Youth Summer Reading includes more programs, educational opportunities, and ways to get involved with the Library!

Another new addition to Youth Summer Reading is our T-shirt Design contest that will run until June 14th, 2024! We would love to invite and ask all our creative youngsters to participate! Ages 17 years and under are welcome to compete and should email their design to [email protected] & [email protected]. Voting will take place online and in-person the week after the deadline! The winner will receive a fabulous prize as well as bragging rights (since each YSR Reading Log Participant will receive a shirt with the winning design on it in July!)

Next up is our YSR Scavenger Hunt! We have partnered with the EC Tourism Commission for an Edmonson County Wide Scavenger hunt that spotlights some of the best we have to offer! This is a low-pressure way to get out and adventure with your family while still supporting our community! You can pick up your adorable EC Map, Checkbox List, and Passport at the Youth Summer Reading Kickoff (please, register to attend on ecplibrary.com). Snap a picture at your Scavenger Hunt stops then post and tag us: Edmonson County Public Library and Edmonson County Tourism! You can also use the hashtag #ECAdventuresYSR2024 . Each checkbox list returned to the library by July 31st will be entered to win a special prize! The EC Scavenger Hunt Adventure Map was designed by EC Tourism Commission and we are so very thankful for all their hard work on this project.

Next, we would like to mention another partnership that has sprung up this summer with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. They have allowed ECPL to be a loaner pole station! We have 10 fishing poles that are available for checkout. We do ask that you bring your fishing license if you have one when you check them out. Ages 16 and older are required by law to have a fishing license to fish in Kentucky, however adults without a fishing license can still borrow a pole to take and teach your child how to fish. This would be a wonderful summer adventure and learning experience to share! We would also like to mention that the KDFWR sells fishing licenses online and we can help you purchase yours at any time. They are sold by season or as a day pass!

Lastly, and certainly not least, we want to bring up our new Youth Summer Reading Log Adventure Challenge! This year prizes will be given at random instead of by reading minutes! We do not want to discourage our beginning readers from competing and feel that the addition of our Reading Adventure Challenge (with the requirement of completing 12 checkboxes) will bring some excitement to logging those reads! Each participant who turns in their log by July 1st will receive a YSR T-shirt designed by our YSR T-Shirt Design Competition Winner, YAY! They will also be entered to win a fabulous prize to be drawn for and announced in July as well!

We are so excited for our community to come and participate in all of the fun we have planned at the Library! Be sure and stay tuned to our Website, Facebook page, Instagram, Edmonson Voice, and Edmonson News to hear new announcements about Youth Summer Reading and Adult Summer Reading, which is coming up in August 2024!