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2023 Summer Reading: A Neighborhood of Stories

 

Get ready to explore a neighborhood of stories this summer with OCPL Summer Reading 2023!

Summer Reading will begin on June 5th and continue until July 14th, 2023!

Read,  share and explore our great city this summer with the Ohio County Public Library Summer Reading Program, A Neighborhood of Stories!

All ages are encouraged to participate in the Ohio County Public Library Summer Reading Program. Reading, activities and programs are designed for everyone to participate.

 

Great activities and programming will continue for all ages throughout the summer, in addition to the normal OCPL programming! OCPL Kids! Splish, Splash, Read!,  Tuesday and Thursday Evening Special Programs, Young Adult Game and Create and more!


REGISTER  ON READsquared (beginning May 30, 2023)


 

Summer Reading for Kids

Read, share and explore our great city this summer with the Ohio County Public Library Summer Reading program,  A Neighborhood of Stories. Earn trolley tokens as you read and attend programs throughout the summer. Tokens can be exchanged for chances to win prizes.

Registration for the Summer Reading Program will begin the week of May 29th. We will kick-off our program all week with visits to the new and improved Edgington Lane Playground, Centre Market, Garden Park Pool and West Liberty Park. We will also host a Movie Night at Towngate Theatre on Thursday, June 1 at 6 p.m. and a free swim on Saturday June 3 at Garden Park Pool thanks to our partnership with Wheeling Recreation. Online registration will also be available through Readsquared.

Every week, we will visit a local pool with stories, activities and crafts. In addition to Garden Park Pool (June 1 and 29th), we will visit 36th Street Pool (June 8th and July 6th), Grandview Pool (June 15th and July 13th), and Bridge Park Pool (June 22nd and July 20th).

This summer, our programs will travel throughout Wheeling with tours of Independence Hall, The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum, SMART Science Center, Grow OV 18th St. Garden, WTRF, East Wheeling Clayworks. We will also take a nature walk lead by Schrader Environmental Center, have a campfire night at the Wheeling Park, bring the Good Zoo to the library, and more!

Story Time and Toddler Times will focus on the Helpers in your Neighborhood. Story Times are held Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m. and Toddler Times are held Monday and Friday at 10:30 a.m. These programs will begin on Monday, June 5th and conclude on Friday, July 14th, 2023.

Summer Reading for Young Adults

Summer Reading officially starts on June 5th! Starting May 29th, young adults may register early with the READsquared program at the link above to participate electronically, or at the OCPL Circulation Desk. Weekly prizes will be drawn for all participating young adults. Young Adult Game and Create Days with Ellen and Nayt will also be available for young adult readers on June 12th, June 26th, and July 10th from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Young Adult Game and Create Days will roughly last three hours, and will feature video games, board games, crafts, new books, and socializing.

Follow our Young Adult page on Instagram @ellen_reads_ya_ocpl.

Summer Reading for Adults

We know adults are busy, but logging your minutes is easy. Listen to audiobooks in the car? That counts. Reading a work report late at night? Log those minutes! Have trouble falling asleep? Research shows that reading aids in sleep readiness. Read at night and report your minutes read in the morning. And of course, don't forget to log that quintessential summer vacation beach read.

Starting May 29th, adults may register at the link above or at the OCPL Circulation Desk.  Adult participants are also encouraged to register on the Library's READsquared page or phone app, starting June 5th. Readers are able to log minutes read for badges and the chance to win prizes using READsquared.

 

 

Programs for All Ages - A Neighborhood of Stories

May 30  - Summer Reading Sign-Up at Edgington Lane Playground 

May 31 -   Summer Reading Sign-Up at  Centre Market

June 1 -  Summer Reading Sign-up at Garden Park Pool AND Free Swim!

June 1 - Towngate Theatre and Dolittle Showing

June 2 - Summer Reading Sign-up at West Liberty Park 

June 3 - All Day Garden Park Pool Free Swim

June 6 - Nature Walk at Schrader Environmental Center

June 8 - Grow OV 18th Street Garden Tour

June 13 - Oglebay Zoo visits the OPCL!

June 15 - East Wheeling Clayworks

June 22 - Independence Hall

June 27 - Campfire Night at Wheeling Park

June 29 - WTRF-7

July 6 - Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum

July 11 - POOL PARTY at Wheeling Park

July 13 - SMART Centre

 

Programs for Kids - A Neighborhood of Stories

 June 1 -  Splish, Splash, Read at Garden Park Pool

June 8 -  Splish, Splash, Read at 36th Street Pool 

June 15 - Splish, Splash, Read at Grandview Pool 

June 22 - Splish, Splash, Read at Bridge Park Pool 

June 29 - Splish, Splash, Read at Garden Park Pool

July 6 -  Splish, Splash, Read at 36th Street Pool 

July 13 -  Splish, Splash, Read at Grandview Pool 

July 20 - Splish, Splash, Read at Bridge Park Pool 

Programs for Young Adults - A Neighborhood of Stories

 June 12 - Young Adult Game and Create at the OPCL

June 26 - Young Adult Game and Create at the OPCL

July 10 - Young Adult Game and Create at the OPCL

Lunch with Books Programs  - A Neighborhood of Stories

 June 6 - Lunch with Books: Who’s in the Wheeling Hall of Fame with Dr. Javersak

June 13 -  Are You A Warwood Quiz Whiz? with Dr. Chuck Julian 

July 11 -  It’s Wheeling History Neighborhoods! QUIZ SHOW  -  Hosted by Dr. Javersak 

 


 

How does READSquared work?

Through READSquared, this year we have reading challenges for Pre-K, kids age 5 to 12, young adults, and adults. READSquared keeps track of all the points a reader earns and notifies you when prizes are won for reading achievement.

 

Collect points for every minute you read between June 6th and July 16th reading and completing activities within the READSquared portal. Log points to earn badges and prizes along the way!

 

To enter the minutes that you’ve read, click “Log Activity” from your Dashboard, then enter your minutes read, book title, author, and date read. You may also include a book review if you wish, but it is not necessary to do so. You can also play games or complete missions along the way.

 

Once you've earned enough points you'll receive a completion certificate you can print and share. It’s that easy!

 

You can register and log reading on a computer, smartphone, or tablet and keep track of your summer reading progress by CLICKING HERE or by downloading the free ReadSquared Google Play App or the Apple Store App. Participants will be asked if they want to register one of three ways: "Myself Only," "Myself and Other Readers," or "A Group or Class."

 

Register as Myself Only:

 

Select an age from the dropdown menu and click CONTINUE. The site will automatically select the correct reading program UNLESS the participant selects 18. If they are 18, it will ask which program they want to register under (Teen or Adult). Once they select the program, they will click CONTINUE. Fill in the registration information and create a user name and password. Participants will use this user name and password to access their account to log reading and do other activities on the READsquared site. Once they
have filled in all the areas with a * they will click CONTINUE at the bottom of the screen. They will receive a message on the screen stating that they are registered and have received their first virtual badge.

 

Register as Myself and Other Readers:

 

Participants will be asked to fill in the Primary Account Information. This does not need to be an adult's information, but it will be the name the other accounts will be listed under. After clicking CONTINUE, they can register additional readers. Some information will be auto-filled since they are registering multiple readers.

 

Register as Group or Class:

 

Participants will first be asked if they want to log the information ALL AT ONE TIME or INDIVIDUALLY. ALL AT ONE TIME means they will log the same reading and activities for the group all at once and the entire group will earn badges and other incentives at the same time. This could be a daycare class where the teacher is logging the time they read to the entire class each day. If they select INDIVIDUALLY, they will need to enter each participant's reading time. This could be a class where each child logs their reading time at home so each child would have a different amount of time read. After selecting how they will log information, they will be asked how old the readers are, how many readers they are registering, and will give the group a name. They will now fill in the registration information. They do not need to list the name of each participant, because they will be logging the same information for everyone. If they registered as INDIVIDUALLY they will register the same as if they had registered ALL AT ONE TIME EXCEPT when they get to the main screen they will see in the column on the left a listing for READER ACCOUNTS. Here they can access each reader to log their individual times. 

 

If you prefer paper over digital technology, stop by the Library any time between June 6 and July 16 to register in person and pick up a paper reading log.

 


 


Benefits of Summer Reading:

 

DID YOU KNOW: Summer Reading is critical for students to retain knowledge and skills learned in the previous school year. Students who don't read are at risk of falling behind their classmates. Summer reading not only helps a child's ability to retain information learned the previous year, but also increases growth in knowledge and critical thinking skills for the coming year.

 

But Summer Reading isn't just for kids. Reading is a habit for life. Children cannot be convinced that reading is truly valuable if the adults they look up to will not read themselves. Seeing adults with books in their hands sends the message that reading is something that can be done for pleasure and entertainment, not just something that is done to complete a homework assignment. And did you know that reading helps improve cognition? Research shows that regular reading improves brain connectivity,  increases adult vocabulary & comprehension,  and prevents cognitive decline as you age. Not only that, it's good for your health! Research shows reading also helps reduce stress and lower blood pressure. 

 



 

 

 

 

 

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