Create, Read and Explore All Summer Long with Deschutes Public Library
Posted By: Dana OConnell
Date Posted: 5/20/2021
Get ready for fun at every turn because Summer with the Library is back! Starting June 1, readers and adventurers of all ages can sign up for the free Summer with the Library program, and open the door to a whole season of possibilities.
All Deschutes Public Library locations are open for browsing, but there’s more than one way to ring in Summer with the Library. Individuals and families can sign up via the Beanstack website or mobile app to track reading and activities, or you can go old school with a paper log available at your library. The Beanstack app and Summer with the Library/Verano con la Biblioteca materials are available in English and Spanish.
“We aim to make it easy for the whole family to participate. Everyone can sign up and everyone gets a prize,” says Todd Dunkelberg Deschutes Public Library Director. “Starting in June and rolling all summer long, Deschutes County residents can use the interactive mobile app to discover new challenges, and connect with the library through open-air outreach events.”
Can’t get to the library? Look for Library on the Go/Biblioteca en Camino visiting Deschutes County residents this summer. Library on the Go outreach events provide opportunities to sign up in-person, meet with library staff (including bilingual staff) and receive free information and resources.
“As Deschutes County grows, so does the way we can meet the needs of its residents,” says Dunkelberg. “This year more than ever we are finding new ways to reach county residents where they are.”
Just by registering, children and teens will receive a free book and adults will get a collectable bookmark made by a local artist (while supplies last). Participants of all ages will have from June 1 through August 31 to read, explore and even enter for a chance to win other great prizes.
After August 31, winners will be drawn for the grand prizes. No matter how you sign up for Summer with the Library (Beanstack or in-person) your name will be entered into the grand prize drawing. There are four age groups that have designated prizes for each category: Ages 0-5 – Folkmanis puppet and a book; Ages 6-11 – Kindle Fire; Ages 12-17 – $100 Amazon gift card; Ages 18 and up – $100 Amazon gift card.
The fun doesn’t end there: all Deschutes Public Library locations (Downtown Bend, East Bend, Redmond, Sunriver, La Pine and Sisters) offer DIY activities and Grab & Go craft kits throughout the summer to inspire creativity and learning. The library also offers ongoing virtual programs, including weekly Story Times and activities for kids, teens and adults.
All library programs and activities are free, though some programs may require advance registration. Check our online calendar for any registration requirements. A complete listing of Summer with the Library programs and events can be found online at www.deschuteslibrary.org/calendar/.
With all this excitement, June 1 cannot come soon enough. Here are just a few of this summer’s programs for kids, teens, families and adults; be sure to check our events guide for more details and information about Summer with the Library: www.deschuteslibrary.org/summer/.
Programs happening June through August include:
Kids & Families
Story Time Activity Kits • Story Time Online • Your Next Book • Family STEAM Baseball Science • Baseball Activities Grab & Go Kits
Teens & Tweens
Grow Wild Grab & Go Kits • Teen Reading Room • Write-On! Swag Bags for Teen Writers • Write-On! Journal Writing Edition
Adults
Police and Mental Health Crisis in Central Oregon • Climate Change in the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests • Stories We Tell Ourselves About the Wild • 30-Minute Guided Meditation • Beginning Birding with Chuck Gates • "French Troubadour" Plays Americana • BBQ Beet Salad • Ask Emily: A Writing & Fortune Telling Salon • Discovery of a Masterpiece • The Greenest Way to "Go" • Yoga Nidra
For more information about these or other library programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org.