Set Sail with the Stillwater Public Library's summer reading program kickoff and first week of events

(STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA / May 28, 2022) – The Stillwater Public Library's summer reading program officially sets sail on Saturday, June 4, from 1-4 p.m. with a kickoff event for all ages. The drop-in event will be held at the library, with activities taking place both inside and outside.

The main attraction will be the return of the exhibit "In Search of Earth's Secrets," a pop-up science encounter. The exhibit features interactive science stations and a 40-foot-long inflatable replica of the ocean floor research vessel, the JOIDES Resolution.

Outside, at the inflatable boat, a storytime and author talk will be held at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. with author Kevin Kurtz. While supplies last, free copies of Kurtz's books, "Uncovering Earth's Secrets" and "Into the Crater of Doom" will be available. 

Additional kickoff activities include ocean writing prompts facilitated by the OSU Writing Center, a board game room featuring water-themed RPGs, plus several ocean geology learning stations hosted by the OSU Boone Pickens School of Geology.

The summer reading fun continues on Tuesday, June 7, at 10 a.m. with Inspyral Circus. This all-ages family show will be held outdoors in the library's north parking lot. Circus performer Jeremy Philo will display astounding feats of talent featuring juggling, unicycle riding, bubbles and much more. 

At the show, attendees will learn Philo's favorite phrase, "practice makes progress." 

"You can learn to do hard things, you just have to be okay with being bad at them at first," Philo said. "If people knew this secret, they wouldn't ever be held back from learning things they want to do."

The library encourages the audience to bring lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on, a water bottle and sunscreen. While registration is not required for the large outdoor events, to help the library prepare, please sign up on the summer reading webpage.

Elizabeth Murray, children’s librarian, wants to make sure people don’t forget to register for summer reading.

“Getting signed up means you can begin counting the amount of time you spend reading or getting read to,” Murray said. “More reading means even more fun and more chances to earn prizes.”

Anyone who has not registered for the summer reading program yet can visit the library's website and create an individual or family account using Bookpoints, an online reading tracking platform.

This year's summer reading program is sponsored by the Friends of the Stillwater Public Library, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Science Foundation. The library also thanks local businesses that generously donate prize coupons to provide reading incentives for the community.

For more information about the summer reading program, the “In Search of Earth’s Secrets” exhibit and other library events, visit library.stillwater.org, or reach out to librarians at (405) 372-3633 or askalibrarian@stillwater.org.