Carnival to kick off summer reading May 19

This summer, the Emmet O’Neal Library will introduce Mountain Brook readers to a “Universe of Story” during their summer reading programs.

The “Universe of Story” summer reading programs will kick off with a carnival on May 19 beginning with the Thomas Hughes Brinkley Memorial Fun Run at 3 p.m., with the carnival officially starting at 3:30 p.m., said Gloria Repolesk, children’s department manager atthe library.

“We really try to make summer reading fun, and make it enjoyable,” Repolesk said.

It’s easy for children to get “bogged down” in their assigned reading or in their reading level, Repolesk said, but library staff works hard to try and make the experience enjoyable and to curtail the “summer slide,” during which students forget what they learned the year before. Reading at least three books during the summer can help negate that slide, Repolesk said.

About 2,000 children sign up for the program, Repolesk said.

There are two summer reading programs available at the library. The first is a program that helps readers keep track of their pages, and for every 100 pages, they’ll be able to come and play a game at the library. After completing the game, they’ll receive one book for each week they play a game. 

The other program is “Extreme Read” and involves various reading challenges, such as reading a book published in 2019, or reading a book about certain subjects or bycertain authors. 

This program is for third- through sixth-grade students, Repolesk said, and for each completed book, participants will have their name put into a drawing for six grand prizes. They’ll also be invited to an end-of-summer party that’s held after hours at the library.

The Junior Women’s Club of 100 sponsors the kickoff event each year, and they’ve raised about $50,000 for the library in the last few years, Repolesk said.

The carnival will include rock climbing walls, face painters, a dunking booth and food, Repolesk said.

“It’s just a really fun event,” she said.

The carnival marks the first day people can sign up for summer reading, with all library summer programming beginning on June 3. On June 6, the library will host a kickoff event for the “Extreme Read” program, featuring inflatables and other entertainment.

The library has also recently added a satellite summer-reading program in partnership with Mountain Brook Schools. The library will send hundreds of books every week to Brookwood Forest Elementary School from 1 to 4 p.m. each Wednesday, allowing people in that area to come and check out books for summer reading, Repolesk said.

The library will continue to offer Story Time each week, too, which is open for children from birth to second grade, and will also offer crafts and other fun programming for students ofall ages. 

Repolesk said the library has also recently started a program for students in fifth through eighth grade, called Crossover.

The library also hosts book clubs over the summer, and each Tuesday, a different performer will come to the library, Repolesk said. 

While the summer months do mean an increase in visitors and library programming, Repolesk said the staff should be in good shape after the city of Mountain Brook recently approved the addition of another member.

For more information about library events, visit emmetoneal.libnet.info.