Where Were You…?

…On Sunday, June 10th?

Hopefully, you were on the front lawn of the Main Library participating in the 12th Annual Summer Reading Extravaganza. This year was out of this world!! We had beautiful weather and lots of smiling faces. It was certainly a great day for the Library. Over 5,000 people registered for the event, there were over 80 groups that participated, 83 people signed up for library cards (that’s 1 card made every 3.5 minutes!), and 427 items per hour were checked out at the Customer Services desk during the Extravaganza!

Alice and the White Rabbit entertain the crowd

To see exactly how much fun we all had, check out some amazing photos and a nice little story from a first time Extravaganza guest and volunteer photographer, Bridgett Kay.

Wishing String – Lots of people made a wish!

Of course, the main reason for having the annual Extravaganza is to celebrate the beginning of and to encourage people to participate in the Summer Reading programs. There’s one for every age group: children, teens and adults. There’s still plenty of time to join. The Summer Reading programs run thru mid-August.  Just registering for the programs and visiting your library even once gets you a great bag or other nifty prizes and qualifies you for giveaways, but the best part is the reading. Make sure your kids’ brains stay alert and active during the summer to retain knowledge from the school year. Take time as an adult to read for pleasure and find your stress levels reduced. Read together to interact and engage with each other. Reading during the summer is fun and important!

Storytime with the East End Food Co-op

The Library’s Summer Reading Extravaganza is a great reminder to the community about just how integral the Library wants to be to life here in Pittsburgh. I hope that you’ll join us for next year’s Extravaganza!

-Melissa M. (With more than a little help from Sara W.)