Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branches go all out for their summer reading kickoff events, with everyone from bounce house obstacle courses to puppet making to juggling shows.
Getting Hands-On at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Program
Where can your kids examine a dinosaur bone, 3-D print an airplane and create their own craft you’ll actually want to keep — all in one night, and all for free?
The correct answer is the annual Summer Block Party at Westinghouse Lodge in Forest Hills, C.C. Mellor Memorial Library’s celebration of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading kick off. The event draws hundreds each year as well as community partners from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh to local Boy Scout troupes and soccer clubs.
Similar events are happening at library branches across the city, and each brings its own brand of excitement.
Beyond Books (But Don’t Forget the Books)
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Brookline hosted O’Ryan the O’Mazing this week for their kickoff event. Jennie Davis, library services manager at the branch, said the events are about community engagement.
“It creates shared experiences and that also helps foster learning and connection — with your neighbors and your local librarians,” she says. “We watch these kids grow up.”
Jorie Meil, development and communications coordinator at C.C. Mellor, which has locations in Forest Hills and Edgewood and serves five municipalities, said this year they have about 40 activities scheduled, whether library-sponsored or in partnership with a community member.
The library’s Crafting Circle group will be making paperbag puppets; Shaolin Studios in Regent Square will host movement activities; a gardening group will make seed bombs; the Boy Scouts will host a fishing game; the popular dunk tank will be back, with numerous staff members from Woodland Hills School District scheduled to take a turn; Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf will teach kids to spell their name in sign language; an inflatable obstacle course will be on hand; and the library will be helping kids make bookmarks, birdhouses or collages.
“It’s a really, really good variety of activities,” Meil says. “It’s all kid-friendly for a range of ages.”
Food trucks are also scheduled for the evening — the only part of the event with a cost.
Reading is Fundamental
Of course, the events are meant to inspire kids to read during the summer — and combat learning loss. Davis pointed out that last year Carnegie Library set a goal for Pittsburghers to log 80,000 books read over the summer; the final tally was approximately 146,000.
“Last year we blew so far beyond the goal that we’ve set a pretty lofty goal for this year, which is very exciting,” she says. “Our community goal is 160,000 books this year.
“The whole point is to encourage readers of all ages to discover the joy and power of reading.”
Anyone who signs up for the summer reading program gets a tote bag, and prizes are offered throughout the summer and at the end of summer as patrons log their books.
“The whole goal is just to raise a reader,” Davis says.
“Research indicates that the summer slide, learning loss for children, is a very real part of summer, so keeping them actively engaged in reading helps prevent some of that. And beyond that it builds confidence, imagination [and] connections, and it’s a simple, powerful way to support lifelong learning.”
Story and Photography by Lauren Davidson
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