It’s almost Winter – Get your read on!
The Warren County Public Library works all year to provide engaging opportunities and memorable library experiences for every age group. While summer is traditionally the system’s most busy time, recent years have proven the winter season is just as exciting. The annual Winter Reading Program, which begins this month and runs through January, will be no different!
This program has been generously sponsored by the Friends of the Library Warren County since 2009. With additional support from Rotary Flags for Kids, WCPL is able to offer a “cool collection” of free activities and an incentive system where participants can earn prizes by completing a variety of reading and activity challenges.
This year’s prize will be perfect for the winter months – a cozy knit beanie with the WCPL logo and a coupon for a free book redeemable at Capitol Books, the used bookstore run by the Friends of the Library volunteers at the Capitol. Those who complete the program will also be entered to win one of two grand prizes, either (1) a voucher for a free character storytime for a child and their friends (maximum audience size: 30), or (2) a voucher for a Capitol movie rental that includes popcorn for all your guests!
The excitement begins mid-November, with a kickoff at the SOKY Ice Rink’s grand opening, which will feature a presentation by theDinosaurs of Feller Express Friday, November 21 at 6pm. The dino show will include songs, games, dino facts, and baby dinosaur feedings. While there will not be time for individual pictures with the dinosaurs, plenty of photo opportunities will be available that evening.
Character storytimes in the snow dome at SoKY Ice Rink will be returning, but this year sessions will take place on a different day than last year – Sunday – with afternoon sessions at 3pm and 4pm. They will feature read-alouds and character meet-and-greets with these popular guests:
•December 7: Buddy the Dino
•December 14: Pikachu
•December 21: The Grinch
•December 28: Olaf
•January 4: Pete the Cat
•January 11: Winnie the Pooh & Tigger
•January 18: Bigfoot
•January 25: Skye & Chase
Returning this year will be Storytime with the Grinch at The Capitol (right before the Light Up BGKY event) Friday, December 5, with sessions at 4pm and another at 5pm. Additionally, our favorite Santas will be featured at these events across the system:
•December 3, 4pm-7:30pm: Reindeer Games with Santa Jason at Buchanon Park Branch
•December 4, 4pm-7:30pm: Cookies with Santa Jason at SOKY Center
•*December 9, 4pm-8pm: Santa Bob at Bob Kirby Branch
•*December 13, 10am-2pm: Santa Bob at Smiths Grove Branch with a Live Nativity
*(register for a time slot for the 12/9 and 12/13 events through the library’s online calendar)
We don’t want you to miss a thing, so check out additional event information at warrenpl.org/winter.
Calling All Creative Teens!
For the first time ever, WCPL is hosting the region’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Teens in South Central Kentucky in grades seven through 12 (ages 13 and up) from Warren, Allen, Barren, Butler, Logan, Edmonson, and Simpson counties can enter creative, original work in 28 categories of art and writing. Entry fees are $10 per piece. The submission window is open now, and entries will be accepted through December 14; winners will be announced January 29. Those entries will be displayed at The Capitol the entire month of March, and an awards ceremony will take place March 14.
Art pieces can be submitted online here: https://www.artandwriting.org/regions/KY003A; writing pieces here: https://www.artandwriting.org/regions/KY003W.
Capitol Manager Magnolia Gramling is enthusiastic about the possibilities the program provides, saying, “We are excited and honored to be the regional affiliate host for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for the first time. We are committed to any initiative which celebrates the talent of young people in our region and gives them the opportunity to be honored on a national level. What goes better together than libraries and Scholastic?!?”
Regional award winners will be advanced to a national level, where students are eligible for scholarships up to $12,500 and recognition at a national ceremony. For more than a century since being founded in 1923, this awards program has served as a powerful source of inspiration for bold, creative ideas among teens nationwide and has an impressive list of recognizable alumni! That list and additional information about the program can be found at https://www.artandwriting.org. We look forward to seeing South Central Kentucky’s teens’ ideas come to life through this year’s process!
-by Ashley Fowlkes, Digital Content Manager, Warren County Public Library
