This summer, the Carnegie Public Library set a reading goal for the community to accomplish as a part of our Summer Reading Program. The original goal set was 3,000 books read this summer, beginning on June 1 and running until July 31, but the community has blown our original goal out of the park!

Currently, 4,556 books have been logged on Beanstack as a part of our Summer Reading Program. Now, we are going to up the ante and see if the community can keep up the good work and double the original goal of 3,000 by reading 6,000 books by the end of the year. Children, teens, and adults can all help us achieve this goal by registering for an account on Beanstack, the library’s reading challenge website, at cplwcho.beanstack.org! You can also download the app for Apple and Android. Create an account, join a reading challenge, and log away! You can continue to log books for our Summer Reading Challenge until July 31, and we will draw grand prize winners on Aug. 1. Also on Aug. 1, another new reading challenge begins! The August reading challenge is called “Books and Brushstrokes” and celebrates the arts! It coincides with our Tiny Art Show and the downtown Washington Court House event Art on the Square.

Canvas pickup for the Tiny Art Show has already begun! We started with many tiny canvases, and so far we have given away most of them! All ages are invited to create works of art for the Tiny Art Show. If you would like to participate, be sure to come claim a tiny canvas soon, as these are only available while supplies last. If you would like to participate but there are no more canvases available, you are welcome to provide your own 3×3 inch canvas to create and have on display in the library. The reception for our Tiny Art Show will be on Friday, Aug. 9 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Refreshments for the opening will be provided by our local Walmart. After the reception, art will continue to be showcased throughout the library until September.

Our end-of-the-year Storytime celebration, Party in the Park, is next Thursday, Aug. 1! Children ages birth to 5 and families are invited to come and enjoy dramatic readings, face painting, games, the playground, and other fun! Meet us at Christmas Park, located at 1217 Elm St., Washington Court House, at 11 a.m. Pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic with your library friends!

All programs are free unless otherwise noted. Some programs require registration. For details about the reading challenge or any of the fun summer programs, please visit us at the library or give us a call at 740-335-2540. Calendars and information are also available online at cplwcho.org and on Facebook and Instagram @cplwcho.