Lions and mermaids and fairies, oh my! Take a look at these twelve awesome stories written by kids who participated in our Roll a Story take-home program. Armed with a six-sided di and a story prompt sheet, participants rolled the dice to determine what animal/creature, setting, emotion, prop(s), and general plot to incorporate into their stories. Then they let their creativity shine!
Thank you to all of the young authors who submitted their tales of adventure, mayhem, and dessert for everyone to enjoy!
It’s time for summer reading again, hooray! We’ve got another great program ready for Putnam County, and are excited to be sharing all of the details. There are special events planned for our Teen and Children’s programs here in Cookeville, with take-home, virtual, outdoor, and indoor activities to suit everyone’s preferences. These will run through early July, to help everyone fill those summer weeks before school resumes. And, as always, we have our reading log program to incentivize daily reading throughout the week, with logs and prizes for everyone, from newborns to adults. We once more have access to the READsquared virtual tracking app, which we first utilized last year, and are also bringing back paper logs, for those who prefer a physical reminder. Due to a generous grant from Save the Children, we will be extending our normal two months of reading prizes into 100 days of reading! While our special summer events will wind down in July, you will be able to continue tracking your reading and receiving prize books all the way through September 10th. That’s a lot of reading, and a LOT of prize books you can earn!
We have all the different age groups broken down below, along with any of the pertinent flyers we are currently giving out at the Circulation Desks here in Cookeville. Feel free to check them out online or come by to see us and get some of your very own.
Adult SRP
For our adults this year we have made it as simple and straightforward as possible, to leave you plenty of time to get right to the reading. For each day that you read for at least 20 minutes (books, magazines, newspapers, audio books…whichever you prefer!) you will log a day of reading. Once you have five days logged, you’re ready to claim a prize! If you are tracking with paper logs, you will need to come in to a PCL branch to get your next log. For those tracking through READsquared, you can start right in on your next week of reading, and redeem several prizes at once whenever it is convenient for you.
Teens (age 12-17) are able to fill out reading logs and receive prize books just like the adults. In addition, we have several events and activities planned for the teens, from self-guided coding sessions to virtual RPG games to group movie screenings. Plus, we have a brand new feature for this year’s Teen SRP: Tale Teller Badges! These exclusive pins can be earned through a variety of activities, including origami, drawing, and creative writing. There are many different pins to choose from, and participants are encouraged to earn as many as they are interested in. When our special events wrap up in July, anyone with five or more different badges will be able to claim extra prizes!
For our Children’s program (age birth-12) we have all sorts of great summer fun in the works. There is a cavalcade of crafts and other take home activities, DIY snack kits, the opportunity to adopt your own plush animal reading companion, and much, much, more. Be sure to check out the Calendar file below for all the details. And of course there are reading logs for the kids as well, with the same 20 minutes a day/5 days for a prize requirement. Being read TO counts as well, so if you can get those older kids reading to the younger kids, or you are enrolled in our Adult SRP yourself, everybody is earning prize books!
All of this is just what we have planned for the Cookeville library, and there’s exciting stuff going on at all of our branches as well. There’s so much planned for the next couple months that it might be a little tricky to figure out what is happening where, but we’ve got you covered. This is the perfect opportunity to try out the Attend tab on our new Putnam County Library website. When you click on the Attend tab and scroll down, you will see the next several events taking place, as well as the hosting libraries. These events can be clicked on to find more info, or you can click the View All Events link below them. This will not only give you a longer listing of everything coming up in the near future, but it will also allow you to search for certain terms or to filter the events by location or age group.
READsquared
For those that used READsquared to track daily reading last year, everything should be the same as before, and you should be all set to enroll in this year’s programs and start earning prizes. For the newcomers, or those who’d like a quick reminder: READsquared is an online service for tracking your reading just like you would with our paper logs, but from the convenience of your phone, tablet, or computer. Those tracking online have the same prizes and guidelines as those who prefer paper logs, so it’s really just a matter of what works best for you, but we do ask that you only use one method or the other, not both. If you have several readers in the same household, you can even enroll them all through one main account so that you do not have to manage separate logins for each person.
On the READSquared site by the login section, you’ll find the link to register.
The first option you’ll have is to choose to register either as an individual or a family. To register an individual click “Myself” and follow the prompts. Once you’re finished, you’ll be taken to your Dashboard. If you want to set up a family account, click “Myself and Children,” and follow these steps:
Create the adult account first. Choose your age and “Adult 2021 Tails & Tales” from the drop-down lists.
Enter your information and create a username and password.
After your setup is finished, select child #1’s age and reading program, then enter their information on the next page. (No need to create a separate username, you can manage the whole family from one account!)
If you need to add another child, click “continue” and repeat step 3. Otherwise click “finished” and you’ll be taken to your Dashboard.
Managing Multiple Accounts On the left side of the dashboard, you’ll see a drop down list where you can toggle the different individuals linked on your account. You can see their details all from your screen. If you originally signed up as yourself, you can still create a family account either by linking to existing accounts, or adding new ones. Just click on the “Account” drop down to see either of these options. From this screen you can also manage any previously linked accounts.
Logging Days To enter the days that you’ve read, click “Logging” or the pencil icon from your Dashboard. From here click on “Log Reading.” On the next screen enter “1” and select the date. If you read on a certain date but forgot to log it that day, you can also backdate to make sure you keep everything on track.
For those managing multiple accounts, you can actually enter days read for the whole family. If you’re only entering days for one person, be sure to un-check the other names listed at the bottom of the window. Hit submit, and you’re finished!
That’s a lot of info, but it should cover most of the basics to get you and your family started on a fun summer of reading. If you have any questions, feel free to call any of our branches for assistance or email programs@pclibrary.org if that is more convenient. We look forward to seeing you all this summer!
The first episode of Ralph’s TV Treehouse Virtual Concert Series with Grammy-nominated kids’ musician Ralph Covert is now available through our Facebook page! Click the link for details about today’s episode and to see the schedule for upcoming episodes.
The children’s library has been a community partner of WCTE’s education team for several years. This partnership has brought many special events, workshops, and materials to the library based on a wide array of exciting PBS Kids Shows. Our Children’s Staff, along side our partners from WCTE, have been gearing up to bring families a new workshop inspired by the TV series Molly of Denali, which highlights family values and traditions, as well as informational text. Of course, our current situation has required that they make some changes to the design of this workshop and as such, they have transferred the instructional portion to a virtual platform for the safety of any participants. Beginning Monday, July 20th, families are invited to stop by the library or utilize our Curbside Checkout service to pick up a take-home activity bag for the Molly of Denali Family and Community Learning Workshop. This bag will include materials for four different sessions designed to be enjoyed as a family. Activities are geared toward children ages 4-10, but can be adapted for any age!
A video walkthrough of each session will be available on our library YouTube channel for guidance on how to use the resources provided in the bag. These activity bags are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis, so get yours soon!
In an effort to mitigate the possible spread of Covid-19 among patrons and staff, the Putnam County Library System Board of Trustees voted Wednesday afternoon to close all four branches effective at the end of business Friday, March 20. The Board will reassess the closure on April 3; currently the plan is to reopen on April 6.
All library events are suspended in this time frame, and all public meeting spaces will be closed.
During the two-week closure, staff will be on duty and ready to assist in any way possible, including providing instruction on how to access the library extensive online offerings and resources. Patrons can put books and other media on hold via the website or by phone. Staff will provide curbside checkout. Free wifi remains available outdoors, including in Dogwood Park.
Library staff will be continuously providing updates on social media about the status of the closure and with tips to access its resources remotely.
Staff urge patrons to call to ask how to access these services or for any assistance the library can provide. Visit pclibrary.org or call 931-526-2416.
“Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the American Library Association and libraries unite in a national effort to ensure every child signs-up for their own library card.
Throughout the school year, public librarians and library staff will assist parents and caregivers with saving hundreds of dollars on educational resources and services for students. From free access to STEAM programs/activities, educational apps, in-person and virtual homework help, technology workshops to the expertise of librarians, a library card is one of the most cost effective back to school supplies available.
Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” characters Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep and friends are joining the American Library Association on an adventure to promote the value of a library card as Library Card Sign-up Month Honorary Chairs.” — http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/presskits/lcsum
Starting in the month of September, when you sign up for a library card you will have the option of selecting our “Toy Story 4” promotional card! If you are a Putnam County resident and you do not have a library account, it is FREE to sign-up! You may also replace your existing card for just a $2.00 fee. We only have a limited amout of these cards, so get yours while supplies last!
Visit our website for more information on what you need to sign up for a library card.
While you’re here, check out our September events!
Putnam County Library System 