Fall may be announcing itself with a dreary deluge, but all this rain can’t dampen my spirits. This month I get to share a special summer reading wrap-up edition of the Librarian’s Lounge with you! Keep reading for highlights from this year’s summer reading program, including a list of books that were most reviewed by our adult summer readers.
As a librarian, part of my job is to celebrate the magic of reading all year long. But it always feels a little more special in the summer. The rest of the Ames Free Library staff and I were thrilled to see so many of you join us for this year’s summer reading program. We had a total of 348 people of all ages register to join in the fun. Our participants logged an impressive amount of reading this year!
Drum roll, please…
313,176 minutes
That’s 5,219 hours. Or 217 days. Or 31 weeks. Basically, it’s A LOT of reading! But, of course, the summer reading program isn’t just about reading. Adult participants were encouraged to write reviews of the books they read. A few books saw multiple reviews submitted this summer:
Dream Town by David Baldacci
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
The Match by Harlan Coben
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
Sister Stardust by Jane Green
The Mayfair Bookshop by Eliza Knight
The Lost Summers of Newport by Beatriz Williams
We also hosted a plethora of entertaining programs! Check out our reports on our youth, teen, and adult summer reading programs to learn more about what our library community was up to this summer.
We’re lucky to be surrounded by supportive community partners who helped make this year’s program a success. The North Easton Savings Bank helped make our Family Fun events in the garden possible. Corfinio Italian Woodfired Kitchen, Hilliard’s Chocolates, Langwater Farm, Paperback Junction, and The Farmer’s Daughter donated prizes that were used in our teen and adult programs.
I can’t write a wrap-up of the summer without thanking YOU. Thank you for being part of the Ames Free Library’s story. Whether you participated in this year’s summer reading program, came to a concert in Queset Garden, stopped by to use the printer, or to relax in the AC during one of the heatwaves, I’m thankful for the community you help us create each and every day.
On to planning for summer 2023!