🌞📚Summer is a great time to help kids fall in love with reading.
Whether you’re looking for FREE summer reading programs, library events, reading rewards, story times, or educational activities for kids in Bloomsburg, Danville, Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Sunbury, and surrounding communities, we’ve gathered local library programs all in one place for families.
Did you know that reading just 15–20 minutes a day can expose kids to more than 1 million words a year? Small reading habits can build confidence, strengthen vocabulary, and help kids stay engaged in learning all summer long. Preventing “summer slide” is the ultimate win!
You can also see our directory listing for local libraries, where ALL the libraries we cover in the Columbia, Montour, Snyder, Union, & Northumberland counties are included!
Bloomsburg & Columbia County Libraries
Bloomsburg Public Library & Columbia County Traveling Library (Collaboration)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth A Story”
DATES: June 1-July 31
KICK-OFF EVENTS:
-May 30- Pages to Pavement Library Color Run– 8:30-10am @ Bloomsburg Fairgrounds
-May 30- Summer Library Festival– 10am-12pm @ Bloomsburg Fairgrounds
AGE GROUPS: All Ages- 0-2, 3-6, 6-11, 12-14, 15 & up
PROGRAM PERKS: Mother Goose on the Loose, lots of Storytimes, Gaming Club, Book Club, Family Movies, and so many more special events throughout the summer
Learn More
Contact
Bloomsburg Area Lending Libraries
Thanks to our friend and fellow mom, Kim Morris, we have a link to all the local lending libraries in the Bloomsburg/Columbia County area. This map shows all the places where mini lending libraries are present in and around town!
Orangeville Public Library
(Partnering with Bloomsburg Public and Columbia County Traveling Libraries)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
DATES: June 9-August 4
KICK-OFF EVENTS: (see above with a partner libraries)
AGE GROUPS: Preschool Session: 3-5 years; Elementary Session: 5-10 years
PROGRAM PERKS: Children will meet on Tuesday mornings for a fun time of stories, crafts and games.
Preschoolers: 9-9:45am; Elementary: 10-11 am.
Learn More
Contact
McBride Memorial Library (Berwick)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
DATES: June 1-August 8
KICK-OFF EVENT: June 4- 4-6pm @ McBride Memorial Library
AGE GROUPS: Multigenerational programming will allow for an all ages experience.
PROGRAM PERKS: Read your way through your summer on the Beanstack App to earn prizes and awards! Lots of events throughout the summer.
Learn More
Contact
Sunbury & Northumberland County Libraries
Milton Public Library
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
DATES: June 7-July 19
KICK-OFF EVENT: June 7, 11am-12pm @ Milton Public Library
AGE GROUPS: All ages
PROGRAM PERKS:
-Special events throughout the summer
-Curbside (outdoor) activities to do when library is closed
Learn More
Contact
Some of our Favorite Upcoming Events!
Our calendar is chock full of great library and summer reading events! Check them out!
Want to see ALL the Library Events?
Priestley-Forsyth Memorial Library (Northumberland)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
DATES: June 8-July 31
KICK-OFF EVENT: June 6- Touch-A-Truck, 10am-2pm
AGE GROUPS:
-Wee Ones (birth to 5 years)
-Pre-K (ages 4-5 entering Kindergarten)
-School Age (completed K through 5th grade)
PROGRAM PERKS:
-Wee Ones (birth to 5 years): Wednesdays; 10-11am
-Preschool STEM: Wednesdays; 2-3pm
-Cruise into Kindergarten: Fridays; 9:30-10:30am
-School Age: Monday/Tuesday & Thursday/Friday; 1-3pm
-Elementary STEM (5 to 12 years): Tuesdays; 4-5pm
-Lego Club (5 to 12 years): Thursdays; 4-5pm
-Teen “All IN” Club: Thursdays; 5:30-6:30pm
-Girls Club (Grades 3, 4, 5): Fridays; 3:45-4:45pm
-Knowledge Knights: Mondays; 3:45-4:45pm
–Summer Lunches: Monday-Friday 11am-12pm; FREE bagged lunches are available for children up to age 18!
-Special Event days in August
Learn More
Contact
Degenstein Library (Sunbury)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
DATES: June 1-August 31
KICK-OFF EVENTS:
June 6- All Paws Great & Small Animal Rescue Fair– 10am – 12pm @ Central Park (next to the Library)- Free food and Free books!
June 12- Talent Show– 5-7pm
AGE GROUPS: School Age (6 – 12 years), Preteen & Teen (13-18 years)
PROGRAM PERKS:
-Each week is a different theme with various activities; (see images above)
Learn More
Contact
Shamokin-Coal Township Public Library (Shamokin)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
DATES: Wednesdays- July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and August 5
KICK-OFF EVENT- July 1- Dinomite Summer Launch @ Shamokin-Coal Township Library
AGE GROUPS: Grades K-6
PROGRAM PERKS: Program includes reading challenges and crafts and special programming highlighting our theme, “Unearth a Story.” Dinosaurs and birds and fossils and digging into dirt will all be experienced. It’s going to be an awesome Summer!
Learn More
Contact
How can you make summer reading a success?
📚Get a bag or basket that is just for library books. When the kids aren’t reading the books, they go in the bag or basket (there are lots of cute baskets at Target, Walmart, Marshall’s, etc.!) This GREATLY helps when it is time for library book returns.
📚1st and 2nd grade is a great age to introduce graphic novels! This genre is super fun, and even if they just look at the pictures, chances are they will try to read at least some of the pages. (Some of our favorites: The Hilo Series, Cat Kid Comic Club, Dog Man Series and The Babysitter’s Club).
📚Read to your kids! How often do they stop moving and sit and cuddle with you? Start early, and it will be such a treat when they are “too old” to snuggle, but they still read. Having a nighttime ritual of reading guarantees that you get your 15 minutes a day in!
📚Read a book as a family, then watch the movie! (We recommend: The BFG, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Wizard of Oz, Charlotte’s Web, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs to get started.)
Lewisburg & Union County Libraries
Union County Library System: Herr Memorial Library (Mifflinburg); The Public Library for Union County (Lewisburg); West End Library (Laurelton)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
*Each library in the Union County System has different events and activities lined up for the summer!
DATES: June 1-August 8
KICK-OFF EVENTS:
–Herr Memorial: June 4- Summer Reading Kick-Off Party-10:30am-12pm @ Mifflinburg Community Park (131 N. 5th St., Mifflinburg)
–Public Library for Union County: June 5- Dinosaur Day! Summer Reading Kick-Off- 2-3pm (Register to attend!) @ Public Library for Union County
–West End Library: June 4- Summer Reading Kick-Off with Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland– 4-5:30pm (Register to attend!) @ West End Library
AGE GROUPS: Children, Teens, and Adults- something for everyone!
PROGRAM PERKS:
-Join the 1,000-minute Summer Reading Challenge! Enjoy engaging programs all summer long, where every activity feels like an archaeological adventure waiting to be uncovered. All ages are welcome, with fun, discovery, and prizes waiting all summer long!
Learn More
Contact
What are the benefits of Summer Reading Programs for Kids?
Summer reading programs help kids stay engaged in learning while school is out. Many programs include reading rewards, fun events, story times, STEM activities, crafts, and social opportunities that make reading feel exciting instead of stressful. Reading regularly during summer can also help children build confidence and maintain important literacy skills before returning to school in the fall.
Danville & Montour County Libraries
Thomas Beaver Free Library (Danville)
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Adventure Begins at Your Library”
DATES: June 1-August 7
AGE GROUPS: All Ages
PROGRAM PERKS:
Lots of events happening throughout the summer! You can also log reading times and enjoy activities in the Beanstack app!
Learn More
How much should kids read during summer break?
Even small reading habits can make a big difference. Experts commonly recommend reading around 15–20 minutes a day during summer break. Reading together, visiting the library regularly, listening to audiobooks, and allowing kids to choose books they enjoy can all help create positive reading habits.
Selinsgrove & Snyder County Libraries
Rudy Gelnett Memorial Library
SUMMER PROGRAM: “Unearth a Story”
DATES: June 1-July 31
KICK-OFF EVENT- May 30- 10am-3pm @ Rudy Gelnett Memorial Library
AGE GROUPS: Baby-Adult
PROGRAM PERKS: Year round baby Storytime, toddler Storytime, family story time after work hours.
Summer programs include family fun hour Wednesdays, a teen hang out, teen writers group, and a series of events exploring the crafts of the revolutionary war times for adults but open to families.
Learn More
Contact
Are there other free reading programs in my area?
Dolly Parton Imagination Library (Berwick & Millville Area School Districts)
Did you know Berwick and Millville Area School Districts have chapters of the national program Dolly Parton Imagination Library?! This is an incredible book gifting program that mails FREE, high-quality books each month to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income! After launching in 1995, the program grew quickly, and by 2003 Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library had mailed one million books. It would prove to be the first of many millions of books sent to children around the world, and your child can be a part of it!
📚Berwick- If you live in the Berwick Area School District, their program is funded and run by Berwick United Way. Contact Ayrin to find out more and to enroll your child (must be under 5 years old to be eligible).
📚Millville- If you live in the Millville Area School District, their program is funded by The Millville Community Association. See brochure below to enroll your child (must be under 5 years old to be eligible) via online or mail-in form.
For more information, or if you have any questions, contact Molly Werntz (Millville Area Program Coordinator).