WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley spoke with Assistant Library Manager Danielle Bertolini about the Prendergast Library‘s Summer Reading Program that kicks off June 25, 2022.

The program for young children through adults runs through August 20.

Assistant Library Manager Danielle Bertolini said a bike rodeo with Pearl City Cycle from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. will kick-off the reading program this Saturday, “It’s really great for kids who are just learning to ride a bike or want to improve their biking and safety skills. They’ll have cones and an obstacle course. And I believe we’ll have JPD here as well to kind of talk about bike safety. And we’ll have a helmet decorating station, so it’s going to be a lot of fun. And then also on Saturday the 25th, we have our teen summer reading kick off which is a tie-dye and pizza party which is happening from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.”

Bertolini said kids can track minutes read on reading logs, “Basically, when they turn in their reading logs they’ll get entries for the grand prize drawing. We’re also doing a ‘Read for Beads’ program this year. So at the beginning of summer when kids start the summer reading program, they’ll get a lanyard and a little tag on it. And throughout the summer when they turn in their reading logs, they’ll get beads and charms as incentives for reading. So throughout the summer they can fill up a whole necklace, or maybe even a few necklaces.”

She said there also will be bingo sheet with literacy exercises. Kids prizes include lego sets, magna-tiles and pop-its. Prizes for teens include a 3D printing pen, light box, and lego set. The prizes for adults include at $50 gift card to Dots and a $25 gift card to the Good Neighbor Bookstore.

The library also will be bringing the reading program to Jamestown Schools‘ Summer LEAP program as well as the City’s Summer Playground Program.

The Summer Reading Program is free and folks can sign up at the Prendergast Library or find more information online at prendergastlibrary.org/summer-reading-program/

Participating students will use an online journal, which can be accessed by visiting www.young.nysenate.gov, to keep track of their reading progress throughout the summer. Children who submit a completed journal will receive a Summer Reading Certificate. Hard copies of the journal and other materials can be provided upon special request.

If students need more reading material for the summer months, they should stop by their local public library and peruse the expansive selection.