Rodman Public Library invites patrons of all ages to dive into the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program.
The program, which will run through July 30, features three divisions, including one for children (up to 12 years old), one for teens (ages 12 to 18) and one for adults (18 years and older). Patrons can sign up in person at the Main Library, the Branch Library, or on the Bookmobile. Patrons may also sign up online at rodmanlibrary.beanstack.org, or through the Beanstack app, which they can download on a mobile device.
Prizes will be awarded throughout the two months and patrons will earn entries into grand prize drawings that will be held at the conclusion of the summer reading program.
Here's an overview of the summer reading program.
CHILDREN
Children who sign up for the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program will be given a treasure map. With every 15 minutes of reading completed, the kids will color in a circle on the map. After coloring in 24 circles, which amounts to six hours of reading, the treasure map is complete and can be taken to the library for children to earn an entry into a raffle for one of ten different prizes, including a $50 Walmart gift card, a $50 Amazon gift card, a $50 GameStop gift card, a Nintendo Switch, a karaoke system with LED lights, a Harry Potter Hogwarts Magical Trunk Lego set, a Kids Kindle, a youth scooter, a Magic Mixes Magical Cauldron and a Radio Flyer folding wagon.
Children will also be awarded a certificate of completion, a book of their choice and coupons from area restaurants.
Young readers can earn an additional entry for every five additional hours of reading, which will be recorded on a supplemental sheet.
Another raffle entry can be earned by performing nine easy library challenges, which will be posted when summer reading begins and can be answered at the child’s own speed and in any order.
The questions/challenges are:
1. Draw a picture of your favorite ocean animal/creature.
2. Check out a book in a series.
3. Play a game.
4. Check out a nonfiction book.
5. Tell a librarian what's your favorite ocean animal/creature.
6. Visit a park.
7. Read a book your parents, grandparents, older siblings or caregiver read when they were your age.
8. Check out a nonfiction book about something you would like to do or try (cook book, place you'd like to travel to, new pet, new hobby, etc.)
9. Tell a librarian your favorite part of summer reading.
TEENS
Teens will have plenty of opportunities to earn entries into the grand prize drawings for one of three prizes, including a Nintendo Switch Lite, a $100 Amazon gift card, or a $100 GameStop gift card.
Teens who complete 20 hours of reading, which will be recorded on a reading log, will earn a book, a summer reading-themed prize and an entry for one of the three grand prizes.
Logging three hours of reading each week will earn teens extra entries. Weekly challenges, which will involve taking part in an easy activity or answering a simple question, can also earn another entry each week during the nine weeks of the summer reading program.
One more entry can be earned for reading an additional five hours over the initial 20.
ADULTS
For adults signing up in-person, any checkout transaction of library materials qualifies for one ticket to be entered into a weekly drawing for a canvas library bag filled with a variety of goodies, including a $25 Amazon gift card. Patrons may have multiple checkouts per day.
Tickets from one week will not be added to the next week’s drawing. Instead, they will be entered into the grand prize drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card.
For those participating online, each book read qualifies for one ticket to be entered into a weekly drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. The online version will also have its own grand prize drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card.
Those with questions about summer reading should call 330-821-2665.
SPECIAL SUMMER PROGRAMS
Rodman Public Library is planning several special programs related to the summer reading program. Here's a look at what's coming in June and July:
FOR CHILDREN
STORYTIME AT THE BRANCH
Children attending Storytime at the Rodman Branch Library will go on an adventure each week as marine biologists.
Beginning Wednesday, June 8, children ages 3 and up will explore a different aquatic creature each week through Wednesday, July 27 as part of RPL’s Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program.
Storytime at the Branch sessions will be held each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The 45-minute sessions will include songs, stories and a different activity each week. Each storytime will conclude with a short video highlighting the sea animal of the day.
Kids are encouraged to bring a beach towel to sit on each week. After each session, they will be awarded a brag tag for attending. At the end of the eight weeks, those who have attended all of the storytimes will have an entire necklace of brag tags.
During the first storytime on June 8 – Dive Into Reading! – children will get their feet wet by talking about the ocean and read about a few fish. The activity will be a science experiment that will explore how fish breathe.
Topics for subsequent storytime sessions and their special activities are:
- June 15 – Jellyfish with a fruit cup jellyfish craft.
- June 22 – Walrus with a walrus treasure hunt.
- June 29 – Seahorse with a seahorse painting craft.
- July 6 – Penguins with an egg drop experiment.
- July13 – Narwhal with a narwhal wheel craft
- July 20 – Polar bear with a “who has the ice cube?” game.
- July 27 – Sharks with a shark headband craft.
No registration is required to attend Storytime at the Branch, which is supported by Friends of Rodman Public Library.
For more information, call 330-821-1313.
BOOK FEST
How much fun can you pack into one half hour?
Visit Rodman Public Library from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. for Book Fest on any Thursday between June 9 and July 14 and find out.
Intended for kids of all ages, the six-week run of Book Fest will include lots of laughs on June 16, June 23 and July 7 when RPL’s own children’s librarians will provide skits, music and dancing, trivia, and interactive stories. Pirates and a reenactment of the story “The Pout-Pout Fish” is planned during one of those weeks as the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program continues at Rodman Library. And lots more fun is in the works.
During the other three weeks, special guests are expected to visit RPL for Book Fest, including the Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center on June 9 and Raptor Hallow Sanctuary on June 30. The Greater Cleveland Aquarium will present a virtual program on July 14.
No registration is required to attend Book Fest.
For more information, call 330-821-2665, ext. 223.
FOR TEENS
PIRATE-THEMED ESCAPE ROOM
Ahoy, Me Hearties!
All mateys, ages 12-18, are invited to Rodman Public Library on Tuesday, June 21 for a Pirate-themed Escape Room. Teen buccaneers will follow clues with the goal to unlock a treasure chest and plunder the booty, leaving the successful to exclaim “shiver me timbers,” a fictional pirate’s expression of surprise.
Lads and lassies can register in groups of five or as individuals. Each crew will be assigned a half hour increment between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to get ship shape and find the coffer.
To register, all scallywags can click here, or call 330-821-2665, ext. 217.
WATER OBSTACLE COURSE
An outdoor water obstacle course for teens, ages 12-18, will be held outside the library on Thursday, July 21 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
FAMILY EVENTS
SUMMER MOVIE SERIES
Rodman Public Library will host a Summer Movie Series in 2022, showing a family movie each month during June, July and August on the big screen in the Main Auditorium.
In conjunction with the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program, all three films will have an ocean theme.
Due to licensing agreements, Rodman Public Library cannot publicly reveal the titles of the movies. However, all three will be free and the library will provide popcorn to those attending.
The feature at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 6 will be a 2003 American computer-animated film that tells the story of an overprotective clownfish, who, along with a regal blue tang, searches for his missing son. Along the way, the clownfish learns to take risks and comes to terms with his child taking care of himself. It is 1 hour and 40 minutes long and is rated G.
The film at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12 will be a 2000 American biographical disaster drama based on a 1997 non-fiction book of the same title. It tells the story of a commercial fishing vessel that was lost at sea with all hands after being caught in a 1991 storm. The film stars George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg. It is 2 hours and 10 minutes long and is rated PG-13.
The movie at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 1 will be a 2016 American computer-animated musical adventure. It tells the story a strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with a goddess. When a blight strikes her island, the girl sets sail in search of a legendary demigod in the hope of returning the relic and saving her people. It is 1 hour and 43 minutes long and is rated PG.
No registration is required to attend any of the films, but children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.
For more information about the Summer Movie Series, call 330-821-2665, ext. 107.