Summer Fun

Are you looking for things to do this summer?  Try these ideas.

1.  Sign up for our Summer Reading Program.  Earn prizes for reading or listening to books.

2.  Attend programs at the library:  Storytime, Crafts in the Park, Hero Adventures, Hero Explorers, Touch a Truck, The Science of Superheroes, and more.  See our calendar of events here.

3.  Come to the library to hear a story by a teacher or principal from Symons Elementary on Thursday afternoons and a few other days.  See the schedule here. 

4.  Visit a museum.  Use your library card to check out free passes or discounts to select museums through the Michigan Activity Pass program. 

5.  Play outside. Check out Go Out and Play for game suggestions or The Kids' Outdoor Adventure Book : 448 Great Things to do in Nature Before You Grow Up for more ideas.  

6.  Learn a magic trick.  See these books for ideas.

7.  Create a craft project.  Try paper crafts, dinosaur crafts, American girls' crafts, origami, or browse the children's 700 section for additional ideas.

8.  Explore a state park.  Check out a pass for free entry into a state park or recreation area through the MI Big Green Gym program.  This year, passes are available through the Michigan Activity Pass website.  Search the site by zip code and then search the page of results for a state park or see a list of all locations here.

9.  Plant a garden.  Try one of these books for ideas:  Show Me How I Can Grow Things and The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids.  

10.  Visit the Hack House.  The Hack House museum is open from May to late November
Sundays from 1:00 until 4:00 P.M.

11.  Hear a concert and see a movie during Milan Parks and Recreation's free Concerts and Movies in the Park series on Thursday evenings.  See the schedule here. 

12.  Attend a program presented by Milan Parks and Recreation.  See their schedule here. 

13.  Schedule nothing to do for one day and see where the day takes you.

14.  Let your child plan the day from beginning to end.  Have fun with what he or she chooses.

15.  Try a new recipe.  See these cookbooks or ChopChop magazine for ideas. 

Need more ideas?  See this article about 101 Free Things to do with Kids in Michigan. 

What are you planning to do this summer?

Symons Teachers Read at Milan Public Library

Mr. Wright, Mr. DeSarbo, and teachers from Symons Elementary will read at our library on Thursday afternoons and before some of our library's events thorughout the summer.  Teachers will choose books with their third through fifth grade students in mind and Mr. DeSarbo will choose with his kindergarten through second grade students in mind, but everyone (regardless of age and school attended) is welcome to attend. 

Registration is NOT required to attend these events.  

If you are attending Crafts in the Park, Hero Explorers, or Hero Adventures immediately following the teachers reading, please register for those programs here.

Teachers will read at the following times:
Ms. Nichols - Thursday, June 18 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. Fleming - Wednesday, June 24 at 10:00 A.M. at the Wilson Park pavilion (Crafts in the Park follows at 10:30 and 11:45)
Mr. Wright - Thursday, June 25 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. DeSarbo - Monday, June 29 at 3:30 P.M. in the Senior Center (Hero Adventures follows at 4:00)
Senora Chris - Thursday, July 2 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. Adams - Tuesday, July 7 at 6:15 P.M. in the library (Hero Explorers follows at 6:45)
Ms. Blacklock - Thursday, July 9 at 3:30 P.M. in the Senior Center (Hero Explorers follows at 4:00)
Ms. Kerns - Wednesday, July 15 at 10:00 A.M. at the Wilson Park pavilion (Crafts in the Park follows at 10:30)
Ms. Farmer - Thursday, July 16 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Mr. Reeves - Thursday, July 23 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Ms. Brobst-Walsh - Thursday, July 30 at 3:30 P.M. in the Senior Center (Hero Explorers follows at 4:00)
Ms. Smith - Wednesday, August 5 at 10:00 A.M. at the Wilson Park pavilion (Crafts in the Park follows at 10:30)
Ms. Stafford - Thursday, August 6 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Ms. Reeves - Thursday, August 13 at 2:00 P.M. in the library
Ms. Lawver - Thursday, August 20 at 2:00 P.M. in the library

Mrs. Nichols read Roger the Jolly Pirate and sang The Ballad of Jolly Roger.

Mrs. Nichols read Roger the Jolly Pirate and sang the Ballad of Jolly  Roger.

Mr. Fleming read Penny Lee and Her TV and poetry by Shel Silverstein in Wilson Park.

Mr. Wright read The Library Lion in the LIBRARY while sitting on the LION on the jungle carpet!

Summer Reading Program begins tomorrow

Our Summer Reading Program begins tomorrow, Wednesday, June 10.  Stop by the library to pick up a reading log and earn prizes for reading or listening to books.

Register (either online or at the library) before noon next Friday, June 19 for a chance to win a free Summer Reading t-shirt.

See more information about our Summer Reading Program here.  

We hope to see you in the library this summer!

Summer Reading T-shirts

Due to demand, we are placing another order for Summer Reading t-shirts.  See additional information and order here before noon on Wednesday, June 3 if you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt.

Michigan Activity Pass Program

A new year of the Michigan Activity Pass program has begun.  You may use your library card to check out free or reduced admission passes to museums and other cultural institutions.  New this year, Michigan Big Green Gym's Park and Read program's free passes to state parks are now available through the Michigan Activity Pass website.


See more information and a list of locations here. 

See information about how to check out a Michigan Activity Pass here. 

Check out a Michigan Activity Pass here. 

Summer Reading Program

Update: See our Summer Reading Program page for updates to this information.


Our Summer Reading Program will begin on Wednesday, June 10.  All children and teens are invited to read or listen to books, earn prizes, and attend programs throughout the summer.

See information about our teen program here.

See our children's brochure here.

See our calendar of events here.

Register here (now) or at the library (beginning on June 10).
Questions?  Ask them here.

Children who are not yet reading may listen as others read to them and may also listen to audiobooks. Older children and teens may read any books, ebooks, magazines, graphic novels, and newspapers. They may also listen to others read to them or audiobooks. We have a variety of genres and a variety of formats to assist everyone with finding reading materials they will enjoy. 

Children may choose to count the amount of time they read or the number of days they read and will earn prizes for reaching reading goals. Prizes will be awarded after you complete 5, 10, and 15 hours or 10, 20, and 30 days of reading.  Reading logs will be available to pick up from the library beginning on Wednesday, June 10.

Youth may also choose to explore a variety of reading and library-related activities through an additional activity log and earn prizes for completing activities in this log.

The Friends of the Library are selling Summer Reading t-shirts this year.  See more information here.

The summer kickoff event will be:

Animals: The Real Super Heroes by Dynamic West Assemblies

Friday, June 19 at 10:30 A.M. 

Milan Senior and Community Activity Center

Who can lift 4 times their own weight? Who is able to smell 100 times better than humans? Who can lift 4000 pounds? Who is able to see 100 times better than humans? Learn these fascinating facts and many more in this exciting, hands-on live animal presentation. Mammals, reptiles, and amphibians will be featured.
 
Additional programs for all ages include:

Touch a Truck and Meet Real Heroes
Friday, July 10 - 10:30 - 11:30 A.M.
Parking lot at the end of Neckel Court
Meet real heroes and see their vehicles: firefighters and a fire truck, a police officer and police car, an EMT and an ambulance, Red Cross and their vehicle, and more. 

Superhero Science 
by Michigan Science Center
Friday, August 14 at 10:30 A.M.
Milan Senior and Community Activity Center
Join us as we explore the science behind superheroes and their incredible abilities. You'll see demonstrations about  energy, forces, electricity, and magnetism.

Toddler/Preschool/Kindergarten Programs: 

Storytime 
Children will hear stories and participate in songs, dance, crafts, and other activities. We’ll explore a different topic of the “Every Hero Has a Story” theme at each session. Registration is requested.

Toddler Storytime - ages 2-3
Tuesdays, June 16 & 30, July 14 & 28, August 11
10:30 A.M. 

Storytime - ages 3-5
Thursdays, June 11 & 25, July 2, 16, & 30
Fridays, June 12 & 26, July 3, 17, & 31
10:30 A.M.
Choose Thursday or Friday. Thursday's Storytime will be identical to Friday's Storytime.

Evening Storytime - ages 3-5 
Tuesdays, June 23, July 21, August 18
7:00 P.M. 

Play & Learn
Thursday, August 6 & Friday, August 7
10:30 - 12:00
A variety of puzzles, games, and activities to develop early literacy skills will be available for children to explore with their adults. Registration is requested. 

Elementary Programs:

Hero Adventures: Kindergarten - 2nd grade

Real Heroes: Monday, June 29 - 4:00 P.M.

Superheroes: Wednesday, July 22 - 4:00 P.M.

Senior and Community Activity Center

Each session will feature different stories, activities, and crafts about heroes. Registration is requested.

Hero Adventures: Kindergarten - 2nd grade

Real Heroes:Tuesday, June 30 – 6:45 P.M.

Superheroes: Saturday, August 1 - 1:00 P.M.

These programs will be held in the library and will repeat the activities from the afternoon programs listed above. Registration is requested.

Hero Explorers: 3rd - 5th grade

Thursdays, July 9 and July 30 - 4:00 P.M.

Senior and Community Activity Center

Each session will feature different activities about heroes. Registration is requested.

Hero Explorers: 3rd - 5th grade

Tuesday, July 7 – 6:45 P.M.

Saturday, August 1 - 2:30 P.M.

These programs will be held in the library and will repeat the activities from the afternoon programs listed above. Registration is requested.

Crafts in the Park: 1st - 5th grade

Wednesdays, June 24, July 15 & August 5 - 10:30 A.M.

Wilson Park Pavilion

Create part of a superhero costume at each session: arm bands, masks, and more. Participate in a superhero party on August 5. Juice boxes will be provided at each session.

In the event of inclement weather, please call the library or see the website for possible program changes. Registration is requested. 

Game Day: Unplugged

Kindergarten - 5th grade

Thursday, June 11 ~ 2:00 - 7:00 P.M.

Friday, June 12 ~ 1:00 - 4:00 P.M.

Drop in to play board games, card games and cup stacking.

Game Day

Saturday, July 18

Kindergarten - 2nd grade ~ 10:15 - 12:15

3rd - 5th grade ~ 12:30 - 2:30

Play Wii games, board games, card games and cup stacking. Registration is requested.

Registration and Additional Information:

You may register online here now or at the circulation desk beginning on June 10.

See our children's brochure here.

See our calendar of events here.

Questions?  Ask them here.

New library card account feature: circulation history

Have you ever wanted to reread a book but have forgotten the title and author? Or don’t remember where you left off in a series? Or wanted to have a list of what you’ve read from our library?
You can now set your library card account to maintain a list of everything you check out.  You can ask us to activate this feature for you or log into your account to activate it yourself.

To activate your circulation history:
Log into your account.
Click on "My Account" in the top right corner.
Click on "Checkout History" in the left column.
Click on "Activate History" on the top right.

Items checked out after you activate your circulation history will be maintained.  Previously checked out items will not be included.

If you have any questions, stop by the library or call us at 734-439-1240.