Sampson County Public Libraries are gearing up for a fun-filled summer once again with the kids this year. Our summer reading program entitled “Every Hero Has a Story” has been designed to encourage kids ages 5 through 12 to continue to read and love books during their school break.

This year, our program will allow the children to track the number of minutes they read instead of the number of books. This allows children who are slower readers to gain a greater sense of accomplishment if they happen to have a sibling who is a faster reader. They both gain the same achievement in the same amount of time even through one may have read a greater number of pages.

Registration for this year’s program begins on June 15, 2015. From June 22 – July 30, each library will host one program per week at 3 p.m. on the following schedule: Mondays at Clinton; Tuesdays at Roseboro; Wednesdays at Newton Grove; and Thursdays at Garland.

It should be noted, that because our summer reading programs have become so popular, we decided to host our programs in Garland, Newton Grove and Roseboro at their libraries on the days when they are normally closed to the public in order to provide more space for our kid and parents. We will only be open from 3-4:30 p.m. on these days for the purposes of having the summer reading programs and allow the kids to check out books. All other patrons will be asked to return on a regularly scheduled business day.

Our kickoff program this year will see the return of Paul Miller’s Flow Circus, a magic and juggling act that had our kids from last year’s summer reading program enraptured. Three of our other featured programs this year will include “Books are Heroes, Too,” in which books will come alive; “Family Heroes” where we will ask kids to bring one of their personal heroes to do a show-and-tell; and our wrap-up “Superhero Walk” where we have partnered with our communities to provide outside walks at our parks and libraries to let the kids get exercise and dress up as their favorite superheroes.

For more information, please call Ms. Addie Hodges, Children’s Librarian, at 910-592-4153, ext. 28 or email her at [email protected].