Caudill
Summer is in full swing, and children are at home enjoying their well-deserved summer break. Or, are they? What if your family vacation is over or not until a later time? How can you keep your children engaged and entertained?
The Johnson County Public Library is here for you. The library offers much more than books to help your children and teens finish their summer reading lists and also have fun this summer.
Check out our Library of Things where you can borrow baking kits and much more. We have baking pans to make a butterfly, baby buggy or Darth Vader cakes, as well as cookie cutters in the shape of Star Wars characters, superheroes or Harry Potter symbols. Other items that you can borrow include Birding Backpacks, outdoor lawn games and Launchpads. For the rainy days, take home board games, sewing machines, musical instruments or many other items worthy to explore.
And don’t forget about our Experience Passes. JCPL partners with museums like the Eiteljorg, the Indiana State Museum, the Indiana Motor Speedway Museum and others, allowing you to check out a family pass so you can experience some of Indiana’s best museums at no cost.
JCPL also partners with the Franklin Family Aquatic Center and Freedom Springs to offer pool passes for you and your family at no cost. You can find more information about the Library of Things and Experience Passes at PageAfterPage.org/lot.
But, not everyone is excited about a day trip to the “big city,” or maybe museums are not your thing. Instead, check out programs at any of our four locations. JCPL’s creative and fun programming staff offer programs for every age group, from Crafting for a Cause, which benefits community nonprofits, to fun STEAM programs. We also have all ages programs related to cooking and crafting, as well as game programs inside or outside the building. Find programs on our events calendar at PageAfterPage.org/events or pick up a Summer Library Guide at a Branch.
And make sure to register for Explore Summer and attend the big Explore Summer celebrations at all four branches. This year, you can learn how to make ice cream with liquid nitrogen at a Sub Zero presentation. Also, meet the Green Crayon character at the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten parties. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is coming as well for special storytimes. Don’t forget to visit all our StoryWalks throughout the county, too.
But, what if you borrow something, bring it back late and accumulate a fine? Well, then you are in luck. JCPL has been fine free since the beginning of 2022. If you had fines, they are forgiven and you can use any Johnson County Public Library Branch. Borrowers are still responsible for the items they borrow. If items are not returned within 45 days, or if the item is damaged, the borrower will be charged for the item.
So, come on and check out your local library! We are here to make your summer more enjoyable than ever!
Nicole Caudill is a library assistant at the Trafalgar branch of the Johnson County Public Library. Library staff members share in writing this bi-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
