Jackson County Public Library Planning for Summer Reading

The Jackson County Public Library (JCPL) continues to look for ways to make reading, education, and learning fun for the entire family, especially the younger members. Libraries are a lot like schools. However, for libraries there are no summer breaks. Isaac Asimov once said, ""People think of education as something that they can finish. And what's more, when they finish, it's a rite of passage. You're finished with school. You're no more a child, and therefore anything that reminds you of school - reading books, having ideas, asking questions - that's kid's stuff. Now you're an adult, you don't do that sort of thing any more. You have everybody looking forward to no longer learning, and you make them ashamed afterward of going back to learning. If you have a system of education using computers, then anyone, any age, can learn by himself, can continue to be interested. If you enjoy learning, there's no reason why you should stop at a given age. People don't stop things they enjoy doing just because they reach a certain age.

What's exciting is the actual process of broadening yourself, of knowing there's now a little extra facet of the universe you know about and can think about and can understand. It seems to me that when it's time to die, there would be a certain pleasure in thinking that you had utilized your life well, learned as much as you could, gathered in as much as possible of the universe, and enjoyed it. There's only this one universe and only this one lifetime to try to grasp it. And while it is inconceivable that anyone can grasp more than a tiny portion of it, at least you can do that much. What a tragedy just to pass through and get nothing out of it."

For Summer 2024 the local JCPL is planning a series of events to motivate children to read and entire families to learn. The events include: Reading Challenges, an Interactive Whale exhibit, Fishing Events, an Ice Rink, Storytelling, LaserTag, a Blizzard Bar, Dance Parties, a Water Show, and a Build an Alien Workshop! These events will help students maintain their reading skills and excitement for learning during summer vacation! Patrons will have access to experiences that further their sense of discovery and through which they can learn to work cooperatively!

Keep an eye on our local library for many fun and interesting things in the months ahead!