The Flagg-Rochelle Public Library’s summer reading program is underway, with numerous events running through Aug. 26 for kids, families and people of all ages.

The theme for this year’s program is “Plant a Seed: Read.” Library Outreach Clerk Ashley Capes, organizer of the summer reading program, said it will focus on gardening, the outdoors and farm to table. All programs are free of charge and no library card is required to participate.

“We have fun things focused on gardening, eating and growing plants,” Capes said. “At the end of the summer, we’ll have a silent disco with goats. We’ll be renting headphones and kids of all ages and their families can listen to music and we’ll have goats here that they can dance with and pet. We have a great combination of growing things, being outside and having fun here at the library.”

Library Director Sarah Flanagan said the summer reading program can help kids to keep their reading skills up during the summer and avoid backsliding, which teachers can see in students upon returning to school if they didn’t read enough over the summer.

“At the library we make reading fun and have fun activities,” Flanagan said. “We expose kids to reading and they’re around other kids their age. Doing fun activities can get them interested in the library and books. We’re here for families and kids to have a good time and enjoy themselves.”

Capes said planning for summer reading started back in the late winter and early spring. More Dungeons and Dragons offerings will be seen this year, along with more adult programming.

The library recently reopened its doors in time for summer reading after being closed in May for HVAC replacement.

“We missed our patrons,” Flanagan said. “The kids were so excited to come back and we were so excited to see them. The work is all done and we’re really thankful, because it would have been a long summer with no air conditioning. We were really happy to get people back in here and be ready for the summer.”

Flanagan called summer reading “extremely important” to the Rochelle community and its kids. She thanked the community for its support of the library and said she hopes the library returns the favor by providing its services, such as summer reading.

Capes and Flanagan touted the importance of giving Rochelle’s kids and families a safe, free, educational place to go during the summer months while school is out.

“There’s never any cost for a program here and we think that’s very important,” Capes said. “Some people can’t afford a summer vacation and extracurriculars. I think we really fill that gap with free, fun, engaging things for kids and families to do in the summer. I love seeing entire families come to a program. All are welcome.”

Programs

Events at the library this summer for all ages will include a coloring club on Wednesdays at 4 p.m., mini golf on Aug. 1 at 11 a.m. to celebrate the end of summer reading, silent disco with goats on Aug. 15 at 11 a.m., character story time on June 11, July 25 and Aug. 8 at 11 a.m., a tea party on June 27 at 3 p.m., grow a mini pizza garden on June 15 at 11 a.m., clay toad house on July 22 and 29 at 3 p.m., and a short story contest with a prompt of “My favorite place” with a July 1 due date.

For littles, 4C play and learn will be held the first and third Thursday of each month from 10:30-11:30 a.m., story time at 10:15 a.m. each Wednesday, no-bake basics on June 30 and July 21 at 2 p.m., a one-shot Dungeons and Dragons campaign on July 14 from 2-4 p.m., seed bomb/seed paper making on June 22 at 11 a.m., cookie painting on July 20 at 11 a.m. and junk journaling on July 28 at 2 p.m.

For teens and tweens, Reel Talk Teen Film Club will meet June 18 and July 23 and 30 at 2 p.m., no-bake basics is June 30 and July 21 at 2 p.m., chainmail workshops on July 6, 13, 20 and 27, middle school Dungeons and Dragons on June 22 and 29 and July 6 and 13 from 2-4 p.m., teen Dungeons and Dragons on June 22 and 29 and July 6 and 13 from 4-6 p.m., Dungeons and Dragons camp from July 6-10 from 10 a.m. to noon, and writing camp Aug. 3-7 from 1-3 p.m.

For adults, an adult painting workshop will be held July 29 at 6 p.m., an adult morning book club will meet the last Wednesday of each month at 10:15 a.m. and a dooryard herb garden workshop will be held on Aug. 19 at 5:30 p.m. To sign up for any program or if you have questions, call the library at 815-562-3431 or email ashleyc@flaggrochellepubliclibrary.org