Latest news with #SummerReading
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Institute of Museum and Library Services and Second Lady Usha Vance Promote Childhood Literacy
IMLS supports the Second Lady's Nationwide Summer Reading Challenge WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of Museum and Library Services proudly supports Second Lady Usha Vance's nationwide Summer Reading Challenge. The challenge encourages kindergarten through eighth-grade students to continue their intellectual and personal development throughout the summer by reading at least twelve books. To participate, students and their parents should download the Summer Reading Challenge Log, after reading twelve books over the summer. Successful participants can submit their completed logs to read@ by September 5th to receive a personalized certificate, a small prize, and entrance into a raffle to visit the Nation's Capital. "Reading during summer reinforces the lessons that our students learned during the schoolyear while addressing the summer slide and fostering a lifelong love of books," said IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling. "The Second Lady's Summer Reading Challenge is an excellent way for young people to dive into reading." As the largest federal funder of museums and libraries, IMLS recognizes the critical role that public and school libraries play in ensuring that students have year-round access to books. For that reason, we are working with our partners in every State Library Administrative Agency to increase awareness of the Summer Reading Challenge. "In every US state and territory, State Library Administrative Agencies partner with local libraries and community leaders to provide reading materials that support educational opportunities. By sharing the Summer Reading Challenge with their constituents, SLAAs can leverage their broad reach and ongoing alignment with literacy initiatives," said Teri DeVoe, IMLS Associate Deputy Director. To learn more about Second Lady Usha Vance's Summer Reading Challenge, please visit About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Institute of Museum and Library Services Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Community news: Enrollment fair, summer library programs, soil tour
The Gary Community School Corporation (GCSC) will host its Back-to-School Uniform Voucher Enrollment Fair from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Thursday at West Side Leadership Academy, 900 Gerry St., Gary. This fair is designed to ease preparations for the upcoming school year, and to provide families access to essential resources in one convenient location. During the event, families will be able to receive their uniform vouchers from Calumet Township, eliminating the need to stand in long lines. The fair will also feature a broad range of resources to jumpstart school preparations. Highlighting the event, GCSC has partnered with NorthShore Health to provide free physical exams and additional health services to families at no cost. For more information about the fair and enrollment, contact the GCSC Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Department at 219-881-5466. The annual Summer Reading Program, 'Color Our World,' for students in pre-school through 12th grade continues until July 26 at all units of the Gary Public Library. Complete rules and sign-up sheets are available at all library branches or on the library's website, The July MakerSpace schedule is now available on the library's website. Call 219-886-2484, Ext. 332 to register. MakerSpace sessions are held at the Main Library, 220 W. Fifth Ave. 'Business Basics' will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. beginning Tuesday at the Woodson Branch, 501 S. Lake St. Presented by Jackie DeRosa, each week will feature a different topic to help participants learn what it takes to build a business from the ground up. Basic lessons in etiquette for grade school and middle school students will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Main Library. Presented by Shakinah S. Bullock, CEO of the Charmed I'm Sure Etiquette Program, lessons will feature table setting, in-school manners, courtesy and much more. Space is limited. For more information, call Children's Services at 219-886-2484, Ext. 104. The monthly Chess Tournament will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the Main Library. The event is free, and all ages are welcome. Games are 30 minutes. The public is invited to two programs presented by the Save the Dunes organization at the Main Library: in conjunction with the Summer Reading Program, there will be stories, a slide show and activities for children from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. July 17; and Em Racine of Save the Dunes will host a presentation about the Indiana Dunes National Park from 5 to 6:30 p.m. July 24. New Summer Hours at the branches continue through Aug. 9. Summer hours for both Woodson Branch, 501 S. Lake St., and Kennedy Branch, 3953 Broadway, are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday, closed Friday. The hours at the Main Library remain the same, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. More information is at 219-886-2484. Two Hearts Homes for Seniors, Indiana's first family-owned assisted living, invites the community to an open house from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at 1600 Feather Rock Drive, Crown Point. A community resource fair will be featured during the open house. Guests will enjoy refreshments, tour the home, and meet the McCracken family, owners and founders of Two Hearts Homes for Seniors. The event celebrates the company's fifth anniversary of the first Two Hearts Home in Lowell. Experts in senior care, including representatives from hospice, palliative care, and home care companies, will be present to answer questions. The McCracken family and Two Hearts staff will be available to speak about the personalized care model and daily life in the homes. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet residents and their families to hear firsthand what life is like at Two Hearts. In addition to full-time residential care, Two Hearts offers half-day and full-day senior daycare options at both locations. Two Hearts Homes for Seniors has been honored with both the Residential Assisted Living (RAL) Industry Innovator and RAL Home Certification awards. For more information or to reserve a spot, call 219-600-2200. Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Superior Construction Co. Inc. will close U.S. 12 under Ind. 249 beginning on or after Monday, July 14. U.S. 12 will first be closed in the eastbound direction for approximately three days. Traffic going eastbound on U.S. 12 will be diverted to southbound Ind. 249 and can use the official detour of U.S. 20 and Ind. 149. Traffic will have access to eastbound U.S. 12 from northbound Ind. 249. U.S. 12 will then be closed in the westbound direction for approximately three days on or after Thursday, July 17. The official detour will follow Ind. 149 and U.S. 20. Westbound U.S. 12 will have access to northbound Ind. 249 (Port of Indiana) but not southbound Ind. 249. Work will be confined to the area between the U.S. 12 ramps to and from Ind. 249. These closures are for beam setting for the Ind. 249 bridge replacement project over U.S. 12. The Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County will host their next Household Hazardous Waste Collection event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 19 at Boone Grove High School, 260 S 500 W, Boone Grove. Participants are asked to enter at 500 W. Residents can safely dispose of products containing corrosive, toxic, ignitable or reactive substances. Common household hazardous waste items include antifreeze, motor oil, batteries (household and automotive), fluorescent bulbs, paints, deck stains, pool chemicals, pesticides and household smoke detectors. Items that are not accepted at this event are electronics, grill propane cylinders and large containers over 55 gallons in size. Visit for a complete list of accepted items. For more information, call 219-465-3694 or email info@ The Gary/Merrillville Soil tour for farmers and gardeners is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. July 29. Bus transportation will be provided to the program locations, which will be disclosed closer to the date of the event. Led by Lake County Soil Health Improvement Program, a partnership between Purdue Extension Lake County, Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District, Urban Soil Health and local farms, participants will see real-life demonstrations about using soil health practices such as cover crops, mulching, native plants and composting from local gardeners working with Gary/Merrillville soils. Light refreshments will be provided. Register by July 15 at For more information, for accommodations to attend, or for special dietary needs, contact Rebecca Koetz by July 15 at 219-755-3240 or email busser@ Staff report
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Check out the Used Book Sale and other upcoming events at Manitowoc Public Library
MANITOWOC – The Friends of Manitowoc Public Library Used Book Sale returns June 26-28. The event will be in the second-floor Balkansky Community Room at the library, 707 Quay St. Hours are as follow: June 26 — Noon-7:30 p.m.; June 27 — 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; and June 28 — 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. with $4 'stuff a bag.' Cash or local check only are accepted. An ATM is on the first floor near the main entrance. Read more: Manitowoc's Rahr-West Art Museum to host free summer exhibit tour series starting June 18 Here's what else is coming up at the library. For more details, call 920-686-3000 or go to Summer Reading Program — Runs through Aug. 9. Read or be read to a total of 30 days to complete the program. Every six days read earns you a prize. Participants have until Aug. 16 to pick up prizes, while supplies last. Register on the Beanstack app or pick up a paper tracker at the library. More details: Baby Storytime — 9:30 a.m. June 19, 25 and 26. For ages 0-2 and their siblings. Preschool Storytime — 10:30 a.m. June 19, 25 and 26. For ages 2-5 and their siblings. Judy Blume Book Club — 6-7 p.m. June 19 in the second-floor board room. This final gathering of the season will focus on 'In the Unlikely Event.' Although Blume is an author in the Young Adult genre, the club is for adults only. Teen Hang-Out: Summer Sips! — 6-7:30 p.m. June 19. Join Chef Andrew Dunbar in creating a summer drink with syrups and sparkling water. Registration is required at 'An Evening with Michael Perry' — 6-8 p.m. June 19 at the UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus, theater, 705 Viebahn St. Michael Perry is a New York Times bestselling author and Wisconsin Public Radio contributor. No advance reservations are required. Storytime on the Road — 10 a.m. June 20 at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center and 10 a.m. June 24 at Lincoln Park Zoo. For development ages 2-5 and their siblings. No registration is required. Glowforge badging dession — 2-3:30 p.m. June 20. The Glowforge uses a laser to engrave designs into different material types like acrylic and wood. Library staff will demonstrate how to use the Glowforge. Upon completion, participants will be 'badged' so they can use the Glowforge at their leisure. Space is limited and registration is required at Department of Workforce Development employment assistance — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays in the Franklin Street Room. Includes résumé writing, assistance with online applications, assistance registering in Job Center of Wisconsin and more. No appointment needed. Learn About Libby: The Online Reading App — 6-7:30 p.m. June 24 in the second-floor board room. The class is free for all ages and no registration is required. Contact Brandon Reid at breid@ This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Manitowoc library's Used Book Sale is June 26-28: Hours & more details
Chicago Tribune
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
When school's out, summer reading will be in for patrons of Park Ridge Public Library
As area schools begin summer break, local libraries are gearing up for summer reading programs. Leaders at the Park Ridge Public Library announced in a news release that June 2 marks the kickoff of the library's summer reading program for kids, teens and adults, and will include reading challenges and prizes. The program will run through Aug. 16. Starting May 27, patrons were able to sign up at the service desks in the children's department, teen loft and in the Reader Services area. Participants were to be given a paper log to track progress, the release explains. Sign up is also available online at Then, on June 2, participants started to track their reading through the Beanstack website or on the paper log, according to the release. 'Summer is the perfect time to explore new interests, go on adventures through stories, and connect with your community,' library Director Joanna Bertucci stated in the release. 'We invite everyone to make the most of summer and discover all the library has to offer—reading challenges, exciting programs, and a welcoming space for all ages.' Children will be able to earn tickets and choose which prize drawing they would like to enter at a display in the children's department. Additionally, participants in sixth grade through high school will be able to earn a virtual prize drawing ticket in Beanstack for every 10 days they read. Anyone who reads at least 30 days by Aug. 10, will earn a free book. Participants will be able to earn more chances to win by reading more days, the release explains. 'Children can also participate by keeping an eye out for this year's Summer Reading mascot, Mango, around town from June 11 to August 6. Stop by the Children's Services department for clues about where Mango is located each week. Return to the Library to fill out a form and stop at Children's Services to let the desk staff know where Mango was spotted to get entered for a chance to win a Mango T-shirt. In addition, all forms submitted throughout Mango's travels will be entered into a final drawing and the winner will receive their very own Mango,' according to the release.
Irish Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Siobhán Flynn and Sarah Davy win Mairtín Crawford Awards
In The Irish Times tomorrow, Orlaine McDonald tells Mia Levitin about her award-winning debut novel. Anna Carey has researched and compiled the perfect summer reading list for you. And there is a Q&A with Sarah Maria Griffin about her new YA novel. Reviews are: Sally Hayden on We Came by Sea: Stories of a Greater Britain by Horatio Clare; Kevin Power on The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong; Claire Hennessy on the best new YA fiction; Naoise Dolan on Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid; Malachi O'Doherty on Death in Derry by Jonathan Trigg; Paul D'Alton on The Sleep Room by Jon Stock; Henrietta McKervey on Our Song by Anna Carey; Eilís Ní Dhuibhne on Best Friends by Andrew Meehan; Val Nolan on Walking Ghosts by Mary O'Donnell; Laura Slattery on The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay by Christopher Clarey; Jessica Traynor on This Interim Time by Oona Frawley; and Rachel Ashcroft on Inside the Stargazer's Palace: The Transformation of Science in 16th-Century Northern Europe by Violet Moller. This weekend's Irish Times Eason offer is The Coast Road by Alan Murrin, just €5.99, a €6 saving. Eason offer Siobhán Flynn from Dublin and Northumberland-based Sarah Davy have won this year's Mairtín Crawford Awards for Poetry and Short Stories respectively at an award ceremony in the Crescent Arts Centre last night as part of the Belfast Book Festival. READ MORE The winners each receive £500 cash, plus a 'time to write' package which includes a three-night stay at a hotel in Belfast and four days of dedicated writing space at The Crescent Arts Centre. Flynn, who began writing quite late in life, won the 2022 Cúirt New Writing Prize for Poetry and a John Hewitt Bursary in 2023. Davy, who works for Hexham Book Festival, won the Finchale Prize for Short Fiction at the Northern Writers Awards in 2023. Short Story judges were Belfast authors Lucy Caldwell and Wendy Erskine. The Poetry Award was judged by Kathleen McCracken and Dawn Watson. * 'Men must endure / Their going hence, even as their coming hither' – King Lear. Have we no more active rights over life, birth and death? The attitude of passive acceptance of birth and death, preached by Edgar to his father in King Lear, has been variously challenged in the modern period. The nature of human rights in the matter have been hotly contested: the right to life of the unborn child as against women's reproductive rights, the principle of the sanctity of all human life clashing with the right to a chosen, dignified death. The title for this year's Hubert Butler Essay Prize invites reflection on the ethical questions raised by such debates. First prize is €1,500. The closing date is July 4th. * The Irish Writers Centre is packing its literary bags once more, embarking on a nationwide roadshow that will see it travel to five festivals across the island in 2025 – from Belfast to Bantry, Wexford to Waterford, before returning to Dublin in November for the Dublin Book Festival. Fresh from appearances at Galway's Cúirt and the University of Limerick's Creative Writing Festival, the Centre continues its mission to support writers of all backgrounds and at all stages of their careers. Events will include masterclasses, writing seminars, panel discussions, spoken word showcases and zine workshops. In Belfast, the Centre will showcase its Young Writer Delegates and host an information session featuring Novel Fair winner Andrew Cunning. West Cork welcomes seminars, spoken word, and panels on diversity and queer literature. Wexford offers conversations with John Banville and Victoria Kennefick, while Waterford sees a Writers in the Regions masterclass from Danielle McLoughlin. 'It's about making space for writers everywhere, not just in the capital,' said CEO Mags McLoughlin. 'We want to build a national community of storytellers.' Further details and programme links can be found at . * Bernardine Evaristo is the recipient of the Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award, a one-off literary honour marking the 30th anniversary year of the Women's Prize for Fiction. This prestigious accolade, funded by Bukhman Philanthropies, celebrates Evaristo's body of work, her transformative impact on literature and her unwavering dedication to uplifting underrepresented voices across the cultural landscape. As the recipient of the Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award, Evaristo will receive £100,000 prize money and a special sculpture named 'Thoughtful' by Caroline Russell MRSS, both of which will be presented on June 12th at the Women's Prize Trust's summer party in London, alongside the winners of the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction and the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. * Sandycove is to publish Miriam O'Callaghan's memoir, Miriam: Life, Work, Everything, on October 30th. O'Callaghan is one of Ireland's best-known broadcasters, covering every election, referendum, big controversy and important public event for RTÉ, and hosting an award-winning radio show, Sunday With Miriam on RTÉ Radio 1. She has presented RTÉ's Prime Time since 1996. O'Callaghan said: 'It's 20 years since Sandycove first sent me a contract – let's just say, it's taken a while! I thank them for their patience, persistence and belief in my story. I have always lived my life in fast forward, so I never thought I would have the time to look back and reflect. I also wondered if anyone would be interested. Then one day not that long ago – with a prompt from Patricia Deevy – I decided I would write it, because if I didn't write it now, I might never do so. 'At first I thought it would just be about my work as a journalist, but then when I began writing I realised how impossible it was to separate my professional and personal lives. I don't know if that's because I'm a woman or a mother or both or none of those things, but I just knew that for my story to be authentic and truthful, I couldn't simply focus on the work side of my life.' * The Irish Writers Centre launches the first in a new series of Writers Showcase events spotlighting newly published writers from across the island. The inaugural showcase, titled The Out of Towners, takes place on Wednesday, June 18th, at 6.30pm at the centre, 19 Parnell Square North, Dublin 1. Curated to celebrate Ireland's rich poetic diversity, The Out of Towners features five poets whose compelling work captures a range of regional and personal perspectives: Afric McGlinchey is an award-winning poet based in West Cork. Her latest collection À la belle étoile – the odyssey of Jeanne Baré (Salmon Poetry) continues her internationally recognised body of work. Afric has received multiple Arts Council bursaries and her poetry has been translated into several languages. Lauren O'Donovan is a rising star from Cork whose recent accolades include the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award and the Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition. Her debut Taxidermy Heart and new chapbook Superposition were both published in 2025. D'Or Seifer is a Limerick-based poet whose debut collection On Being Un/Able to Walk Through Walls was published earlier this year by Revival Press. She is the founder of Lime Square Poets and co-hosts the First Wednesday Series in Limerick, as well as co-editing Skylight 47 magazine. Luke Morgan , based in Galway, is the 2025 recipient of the Lawrence O'Shaughnessy Award for Poetry. His third collection, Blood Atlas (Arlen House), was supported by The Arts Council and follows his acclaimed work as both a poet and film-maker. S.C. Flynn recently relocated from Australia to Dublin and brings an international voice to the evening. His debut collection The Colour of Extinction (Renard Press, 2024) was The Observer 's Poetry Book of the Month. His work has appeared in over 100 literary journals worldwide. Each writer will read from their newly published collections and chapbooks, which will be available to purchase after the event. The evening will be hosted by Damien B. Donnelly , creative projects co-ordinator at the centre. 'Ireland is bursting with poetic diversity and to gather these talented poets in one room reading from new collections is a privilege for the Centre. We are hopeful that the Writers Showcases will become a regular series, celebrating all forms of writing from all corners of the country,' said Donnelly. * The Eavan Boland Award returns for 2025, inviting applications from early-career poets based in the UK and mid-career poets based in Ireland. The Eavan Boland Award 2025 will support two cross-residency opportunities at Trinity College Dublin School of English and the University of Manchester Centre for New Writing, supported by Poetry Ireland, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Manchester and the British Council. This award honours Boland's dedication to fostering new voices and diverse perspectives in poetry and celebrates her legacy by supporting emerging and mid-career poets through residencies and mentorship. For full details and application, please visit here . * Sixteen young writers from Ballinrobe Community School, Gaza and Cairo have published A Spinning Tyre, an anthology of poems and short stories born from cross-Border writing workshops led by Liam Horan through the University of Limerick's Creative Writers in the Community programme. Developed with the Hands Up Project, the collection explores themes such as war, identity and belonging. Featured are Ben Egan, Caoimhe Macken, Dominic Brennan, Donal Lenihan, Jessica McMurray, Nathan Loughrey, Stephen John Feerick (Ballinrobe); Alaa Kamal, Hala Aqel, Islam Kamal, Jaber Hammam Basal, Lama Ehab Sadi Kuhail, Leen Ehab Sadi Kuhail, Malak Basal, Marah Kamel Abu Shamla and Wadee Nasser Ahmed Shabat (Gaza and Cairo). It is available for €10 at Martin Murphy's Newsagents, Ballinrobe. * Little Island Books have signed multi-book deals for the first time in the company's history, agreeing three-book contracts with two Cork-based Irish authors: Kel Menton and Jen Wallace. Menton, whose debut A Fix of Light was published by Little Island in February, has signed on for three more novels for young readers: a mix of YA and middle-grade titles with an emphasis on speculative fiction and magic realism. Wallace, whose debut chapter-book Dinosaur Pie won the junior category at the 2025 Great Reads Awards, has plans to publish three more works of fiction with neurodiverse protagonists. Illustrator Alan O'Rourke has also signed on to illustrate two sequels to Dinosaur Pie , while Wallace's fourth publication will be a picture book about an autistic girl's relationship with her grandmother. * The Week Junior Book Awards have unveiled their 2025 shortlists, celebrating the best in children's literature across 13 categories, including Irish authors Chris Haughton, Sheena Dempsey, Eilish Fisher and Dermot Flynn. Author and singer Geri Halliwell Horner, CBeebies' George Webster, presenter and actor Rhys Stephenson, and lexicographer Susie Dent are among the judges who will select the winning titles. Winners will be announced at an award ceremony in central London on September 29th. * An intense portrait of obsessive desire set in the rural Netherlands and a lushly illustrated elegy for the lost histories and identity of the Arab world have won the UK's longest-running literary awards, the James Tait Black Prizes. Lucas Rijneveld's My Heavenly Favourite won the fiction prize and the biography prize was won by Lamia Ziadé for My Great Arab Melancholy . Each prize is shared with the writers' respective translators, Michele Hutchison and Emma Ramadan. This is the first time that both prizes have been awarded to translated works and only the second time a writer and translator have been awarded a prize together in the history of the awards. The prizes were opened to translations in 2021, with authors and translators honoured equally.
