Summer Reading is for Everyone!

Summer is a great time to catch up on reading about some of your favorite topics, and to let your imagination take you on a journey.  The Ashe Library has summer reading activities for all ages and is encouraging everyone to participate in discovering good books and to have fun learning.  Reading for pleasure can help turn you into a life-long learner.

For young ones the library offers Growing Book by Book, a birth – age 5 program, which introduces the importance of early literacy.  Spending time reading to your baby shows that reading is a skill worth learning. If infants and children are read to often with joy, excitement, and closeness, they begin to associate books with happiness — and budding readers are created.  You can sign up for this free program in the library's youth services department.

Studies show that public library summer reading programs enhance student achievement.  Summer reading programs are an antidote for learning loss. So instead of losing knowledge and skills during the summer months, kids who attend reading programs actually show gains.  This summer a number of exciting programs are planned and prizes are given as encouragement for children to keep reading over the summer.

Teen programming features creative projects that will inspire style and individuality. Experiment with fashion design, explore fantasy worlds, learn survival skills, experience cooking adventures, and discover artistic talents with digital photography and a bully-awareness poster contest.  Above all read for chances to win Kindles, food, gift cards, canoe trips, and books.   A special teen night of fun, music and art is planned as an end-of-summer bash.  Don't miss out … check the library's website and mark your calendar now!

Bridging Cultures is the adult services summer programming theme, celebrating various cultures and diversity.  One unique way to learn something new is introduced with the Ashe County “Human Library.” The Human Library consists of volunteers from a wide range of experiences to act as human “books” and make themselves available for one-on-one conversations.   This concept allows the public a chance to interact with people they might not otherwise meet.  Stop in the library and browse our collection of living books and sign-up to “check out a human book” for a visit.  Some human books will be on display at local gallery crawl events, and other books will be assigned days in the library for coffee talks.  

Loyola Marymount University's Human Library

The Ashe Summer Reading Challenge also takes off on June 1 and continues through the month of August.  Summer reading challenges help readers of all ages discover new books and authors.  If you are in a reading rut, or have trouble deciding what to read next, you will enjoy trying this.  And, with each completed challenge you earn tickets for some great prizes!   Be sure to ask about this and look for reading challenge displays when you are in the library.  Details for all these programs can be found on the library's website at www.ashelibrary.com.

Dates to remember in June:

For All Ages:

• Help with the library’s straw bale planting and learn about vermicomposting (worm farming) with Tracy Myhalyk at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5.
• Join us for a day of Celebrating Cultures in the park with a Balafon Picnic at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 8.  Don’t miss the African drummers and enjoy activities from around the world.
• Author Libby Bagby shares the story of Lucky the Plott Hound.  Lucky will also make an appearance at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 11.
• Enjoy a campfire tale and learn to camp the right way at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 25. 

River State Park Rangers visit and talk about outdoor safety and camping skills along with a demonstration on campfire cooking.

• Join us for “Get Crafty” classes! All ages and experience levels are welcome. Suzanne's crochet class meets 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 15 to make slipper socks.  A “Get Crafty” Program Guide is available on the library's website, or call 846-2041 for more information. 

For Children:

·         Birdman visits the library with Belle the green-winged macaw, Christopher Columbus the barred owl, and Sky the parakeet at 3p.m. on Wednesday, June 12

·         Almost Amazing Al entertains with comedy and magic at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19.

·         Join us for a “Chat It Up” book talk and art activity from 2- 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19.

For Teens:

• YU-GI-OH Tournament Games are on … it’s time to duel!  Pit your wits against fellow opponents for cool prizes.  You must bring your own deck.  No buying, selling, or playing for cards.  Join the fun from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 22.
• Otaku’s United, an Anime/Manga Club for teens, meets at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
• Re-Purpose, Re-Use, Re-Cycle is the theme for this month’s Outside the Box program.  Bring an old sweater or T-shirt to re-imagine into a new bag, fingerless gloves or use bleach pens to create new designs, between 4-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 27.

For Adults:

• Adult programming offers “Pace Yourself” Computer Classes at 11a.m. on Tuesday mornings.
• Tai Chi classes are available at 10a.m. on June 6 and 27.
• Meditation techniques will be demonstrated 12:30 p.m. on June 6 and 27.
• Dr. Shawn Arthur visits for a series of Bridging Cultures talks on “Connecting Meditation and Eastern Religious Ideals” at 10 a.m. on June 13 and 20.

Special Events:

• A book launch introducing Doug Butler’s newest release North Carolina’s Civil War Monuments takes place at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. 

• Music in the Library features Jean Moxley at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 15.  Visit the upstairs art gallery for a reception, welcoming a new exhibit by Ed Perzel on display June15 - July 13.
• Members of the Human Library will be stationed around town during the Arts Council’s Gallery Crawl at 5:00 p.m. on June 14. Visit with a child actress, marathoner / cancer survivor, poker expert, and “new age thinker.”