Your Guide to the 2019 Summer Reading Program

This year’s Summer Reading theme is A Universe of Stories! We have a lot of fun things planned, so keep reading for all of the details from registration to our lineup of events!
Read the entire blog post below, or click a term to be taken to that section:

Registration
Kick Off Carnival
How to Earn Prizes
- Cubs
- Tigers
- Teens
- Adults
Special Events
Frequently Asked Questions
Sponsors

Registration

First things first: You have to register to participate. Registration for all ages opens Friday, May 24 at the library.

Here’s how the age groups are divided:

Cubs (birth-pre-K)
Tigers (Kindergarten-5th grade*)
Teens (6th grade-age 17)
Adults (18+)

To register, you’ll just need to fill out your information and grab some reading logs or review sheets. Cubs, tigers, and teens will register at the desk in the children’s area. Adults will register at the desk in the adult area.

That’s all it takes! Once you’ve registered, you’re ready to start reading and earning prizes.

*HOMESCHOOLED CHILDREN ARE WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE! GRADE YEARS ARE MEANT AS AN AGE GUIDE.

We’re kicking off the Summer Reading Program with a fun carnival in Morrow’s Meadow! On Saturday, May 25 from 11:00 am-1:00 pm, you can join us for carnival games, a bounce house, and Captain Fancy and his mystery guest from Enchanting Party Tales!

If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the carnival will be moved. Be sure to follow us on Facebook for up-to-date information.

How to Earn Prizes

Reading is fun on its own, but the Summer Reading Program is all about those prizes! Each age group earns prizes a little differently, so check out how it works for your age group below:

Since many participants in this age group aren’t reading on their own yet, Cubs earn a prize for every hour that they read or are read to.
There is a limit of 3 prizes per week.
For every 10 hours that your child reads or is read to, they will earn one ticket into the drawing for the Super Reader Prize.
- All reading logs must be turned in by noon on Wednesday, July 10 to be counted toward the Super Reader Prize.

CUB’S SUPER READER PRIZE:
Fire HD Tablet with Kid’s Case

Tigers can earn a prize for every hour they read.
There is a limit of 3 prizes per week.
For every 20 hours read, Tigers will earn one ticket into the drawing for the Super Reader Prize.
- All reading logs must be turned in by noon on Wednesday, July 10 to be counted toward the Super Reader Prize.

5998900_sd — TIGER SUPER READER PRIZE:
Fire HD 10 Tablet

For every book you read, you’ll fill out a short review sheet.
For each book review you submit, you’ll earn one ticket.
Tickets will then be used for the weekly prize drawings:
- Kings Island Tickets
- Kindle Fire
- Fire TV Stick
- Book Sets
- Laser Flash Passes
- 5 Tool Passes
- Cincinnati Reds Tickets
All tickets will be saved and put into the drawing for the Super Reader Prize.

TEEN SUPER READER PRIZE
Powerbeats 3 Wireless Earphones

For every book you read, you’ll fill out a short book review or recommendation sheet.
For each book review or recommendation you submit, you’ll earn one ticket.
Tickets will then be used for the weekly prize drawings:
- T-shirts
- Book Bags
- Gift Cards
- Books
- Kindle Fire
- Fire TV Stick
- Amazon Echo
All tickets will be saved and put into the Grand Prize Drawing.

Target-100-Gift-Card-520x347 — ADULT GRAND PRIZE:
$100 Target Gift Card

Every Wednesday in June, we’ll have a special event for families. Check out this year’s entertainment below!

CR Ryan Magic Show

CR Ryan brings his entertaining magic show to the Summer Reading Program every year, and we’re so glad to have him back again! CR Ryan preforms with his sons for a show that’s fun for the whole family!

Wednesday, June 5
2:00 pm
Morrow’s Meadow*

Minnetrista Theater Presents Little Red Riding Hood

You’ve never seen Little Red Riding Hood told like this! Embarking on a journey to deliver canned goods to her grandmother’s house, Red meets a writer with a terrible case of writer’s block. Together the two of them explore the diverse interpretations of Little Red Riding Hood, including a brand new version set in space!

Wednesday, June 12
2:00 pm
Morrow’s Meadow*

Indiana Wild Live Animal Show

Indiana WILD is one of our most popular Summer Reading events, and it’s back this year! Learn about animals by getting up close and personal.

Wednesday, June 19
2:00 pm
Yorktown Elementary School Gym

Professor Steve’s Space and Flight Show

Things are going to fly, hover, crash & change shape, all for the purpose of showing what it takes to escape the pull of gravity. In this program, we will learn about some of those who dreamed about flying like the birds & laid the groundwork needed to make space travel a reality. We will see how movies such as Star Wars & Star Trek lied to us. We will watch toys fly through the air as they teach us about aerodynamics, gravity & thrust. We will also discover why astronauts must wear space suits & helmets as we witness poor Mr. Marshmallow expand to twice his size in the hazardous vacuum chamber.

Wednesday, June 26
2:00 pm
Yorktown Elementary School Gym

Grand Finale: The Water Show!

Magic Don is back again this year with his water magic show! Celebrate the end of Summer Reading with this fun and crazy event. Dress to get wet!

Wednesday, July 10
2:00 pm
Morrow’s Meadow*

*ANY SHOW MARKED AS TAKING PLACE AT MORROW’S MEADOW IS WEATHER PERMITTING. IN THE CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, THOSE EVENTS WILL BE MOVED TO THE Y.E.S. GYM. BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I have to be a patron to register and participate in the Summer Reading Program?

A: No! While we would LOVE for you to sign up for a library card, it is not a requirement for participation.

Q: Do I have to read only library books?

A: Nope! Again, we would love it if you checked out books and/or eBooks from the library, but it’s not required.

Q: Do I have to be present to win the prize drawings?

A: No way, Jose. All winners will be notified via phone or email after each drawing.

Q: What is the deadline for registering?

A: There is no registration deadline. You can start participating as late into the program as you want, but keep in mind, the longer you participate, the better your chances are of winning!

Q: Do audio books count?

A: They sure do! Tigers and Cubs, just record the hours you listen. Teens and Adults, just fill out a review like you would with a regular book.

Have a question that’s not answered here? Contact us.

We are so excited to kick off the 2019 Summer Reading Program with our community! We strive to make it as fun and inclusive as possible, and we hope everyone has a great time!

To end, we would like to thank the wonderful sponsors who make this program and all the prizes possible:

Gold Level Sponsors:

eKeeper Systems
Ingrams Floor Covering
Navient
TJ Maxx

Thank you!

Building Addition and Remodeling Project: Update #4

Things are starting to come together for the upcoming building project for the library.

Here are the updates:

On Thursday, March 14, 2019 the Yorktown Public Library Board of Trustees selected Rencon from Pendleton as the contractor for the project. They were the low bidders and came with excellent references.
We will have an initial construction meeting on April 8, 2019 and I hope to find out when we will officially break ground. We anticipate this ground breaking to take place late April or beginning of May.
The library will issue bonds on April 4 and close on the bonds on April 24. The project can begin any time after April 24!
The project will be done in four phases. During the first two phases the library will remain open for business, however, there will be construction going on in the children’s department and on the outside. During phase 3 the library will be closed. This will likely last for 4-6 weeks. Prior to our closing, we will allow patrons to check out as many items as they would like and no fines or due dates will occur during that period. The more you check out the fewer items we have to move!
Once we reopen in phase 4, the library will be open on the north end of the building including the new addition. We will try to provide you with most of our collection. We will need your support and patience during this time!

As always, we appreciate our community and look forward to a wonderful, “new” library when all is completed. You don’t deserve anything less than the best!

As always, please feel free to stop in, call or email me with questions!

19989775_10154066745957168_2470819647604980685_n — **Liz Rozelle**
Director
lizrozelle@yorktownlib.org
765-759-9723

Staff Picks: Best of 2018

What a great year it has been for YPL! Our expansion was approved by the Town Council, we added over 500 new members, and circulated over 76,000 materials! A number of those materials were checked out by library staff, because we love using the library too.

Below is a compilation of our Top 5 picks of the year–what we read, what we played, what we watched, and what we loved.

Our Top 5 Picks of 2018

The content on these lists is what we consumed this year; it does not mean the material was new in 2018. Everything on these lists is available at the library. Click a title see the catalog page!

Becky’s Top 5

Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden
My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
The Last Hours by Minette Walters
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
The Romanov Empress by C.W. Gortner

Beth’s Top 5

Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
A Dog’s Way Home by Bruce Cameron
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Laurie’s Top 5

Hotspot – Internet Access Device
Get Out – Movie
Lady Bird – Movie
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance

Heather’s Top 5

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin
The Stand by Stephen King
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword – Movie

Liz’s Top 5

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosocka
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama by Alison Bechdel
Mercy Watson – Series by Kate Dicamillo
It by Stephen King

Paxtyn’s Top 5

Venom – Movie
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman
The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins – Graphic Novel
The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way
The Disaster Artist – Movie

We hope you enjoyed the variety of these lists and found something new to read, play, or watch.

Thank you for making 2018 the library’s best year yet!

Here’s to an even better 2019!

Happy New Year!

Building Addition & Remodeling Update #3

The following is a third update on our expansion and remodel from our director, Liz Rozelle.

We continue to plan for the exciting building addition and remodeling project at the Yorktown Public Library! We are still working through the process of getting approval from the Department of Natural Resources to build on a floodplain. All the paperwork has been submitted and we are waiting for them to send an official approval. They have assured us there is every reason to believe the project will be approved. We will let you know as soon as we hear the official go ahead.

The architects from Stair Associates have finalized the location of inside walls for the project. At the September library board meeting they presented a preliminary drawing of the outside of the building. At the October library board meeting, they showed us some beautiful samples of the materials that may be used for the flooring, walls, and bathrooms. We also got to take a virtual tour through the building! These drawings can be viewed below.

The plan remains to begin construction of the addition in the spring as soon as the weather breaks. We will work with the architects to phase the project so we can remain open and continue to offer services as much as possible. We will work with community partners whenever possible to meet your library needs.

We appreciate your patience as we work through the process. We hope and expect to present the community with a public library everyone can be proud of and one that will serve all residents equally. This is your library, your community, and always remember it was your overwhelming support that helped get this project approved.

Architect Drawings

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As always, please feel free to stop in, call or email me with questions!

Murder Under the Big Top: A Murder Mystery Event

The library is happy to announce that we recently received a $1,000 grant from the Town of Yorktown Endowment Grant through the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County.

This money will be used to fund a new project called Family Fun @ Your Library. This is an event in that series.

Enter a world of fabulous freaks, exotic acts, and mysterious management…

Desperate to bolster his circus from a dog-and-pony show to a spectacle that will rival Ringling, Harold Hargrove’s dire attempt to lure audiences and show-stopping attractions have created rivalries that exist beyond the center ring.

As the pressure builds, a murder is committed that steals the show…and you are left to uncover the culprit before the final act.

Was it the raging ringmaster in an attempt to clean up the spectacle? The talented tightrope walker whose fall took them out of the limelight? A revolting roustabout with revenge in their veins? Or possibly a possessive performer whose death defying demeanor went too far…?

In an intense world of illusion and intrigue, you must rely on your wit and intuition to find the killer before the Grand Finale!

How to Participate

For our murder mystery party to be a success, we need at least 20 people to play characters! Sign up to play a character, and we will send you an envelope with everything you need, including information about who you’re portraying, two weeks before the event.

Event Night

Murder Under the Big Top will be Monday, October 22, from 6:00-8:00 pm. That’s right! An after-hours library murder mystery! Food will be provided.

When you arrive, you’ll be given an envelope with your objective and other items you’ll need for the game.

After a bit, the lights will go out. When they come back on, the victim will have fallen down “dead.”

Next, it’s time to collect evidence and present your findings to the investigator.

Finally, you’ll fill out a ‘Who Dunnit?’ sheet.

The investigator will reveal the solution. Were you right?

Murder Under the Big Top is a clean program, suitable for youths and/or more conservative groups. However, please be aware that there are multiple instances of bribery, blackmail, deceit, and, well, “murder”…

This will be a night you don’t want to miss!

Building Addition & Remodeling Update #2

The following is a second update on our expansion and remodel from our director, Liz Rozelle.

We are getting excited as this project begins to take shape! Library staff and the board have been working on the interior design of this project, making sure we create a functional floor plan that solves the issues we have and fulfills the promises we made to the community. At every planning meeting we keep a copy of the brochure we presented to the community so we can ensure we create a beautiful yet functional library for Yorktown residents.

The proper reports have been submitted to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regarding the floodplain issues. We are waiting patiently for the DNR to approve us moving forward. A representative of the DNR sees no reason we won’t get approved to build, we just have to go through the process to get that seal of approval.

It has been determined by the architects and engineer that this project will have to wait until Spring 2019 for ground breaking. This may actually be an advantage as we won’t have to worry about winter weather interfering with our progress. Bids for the project will likely be put out between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That should all be settled by January or February. Then, the shovels will hit the ground! It will take approximately one year to get everything completed.

During the building and remodeling phases, we will do everything possible to be open as much as is feasible. The project will be done in phases to accomplish this. We ask for your patience as we try to continue to provide excellent service with limited availability of library materials at different times throughout the project. The prize at the end will be well worth the inconveniences a building project causes.

I will put copies of the final floor plan at the front desk. If you are interested in seeing this document, you can view it below, or stop in and ask to take a look. Before you know it, we will have a beautiful new library that meets the needs of ALL members of our community. Exciting times are ahead!

1249_A101 - V3-1 — **Click the image for a zoom-able PDF.**

As always, please feel free to stop in, call or email me with questions!

Family Fun @ Your Library: One Book/One Community

The library is happy to announce that we recently received a $1000 grant from the Town of Yorktown Endowment Grant through the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County.

This money will be used to fund a new project called Family Fun @ Your Library.

One Book / One Community Family Read

Nothing brings people together like the love of a great book, and we’re bringing that feeling to our entire community for our first Family Fun @ Your Library program, One Book/One Community. Join us in reading The One and Only Ivan this fall.

Read a description of this award-winning book below, followed by all the details you’ll need to participate.

51RRZrZ9VoL._SX354_BO1,204,203,200_ — **Winner of the Newbery Medal and a #1 *New York Times*bestseller!**

This stirring and unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendships. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated novel is told from the point of view of Ivan himself.

Having spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

The One and Only Ivan was hailed as a best book of the year by Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Amazon, demonstrating it is a true classic in the making.

In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope. An author’s note depicts the differences between the fictional story and true events. –Harper Collins Publishers

Registration

Registration for One Book/One Community will begin on August 20 and run through August 31.

During that time, families can sign up for the program and reserve their book. Books will be available for pick up the week of September 10.

Book Discussion Night

Join us at the library on October 17th from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, where will we come together as a community to discuss the book over food, activities, crafts, and surprises!

We hope to see you and your families there!

Building Addition & Remodeling Update

The following is an update on our expansion and remodel from our director, Liz Rozelle.

If you have been curious about how the library building project is coming along, I have an update. I hope to publish these reports along the way to keep our community informed about the progress of this project. Your support as we worked together to convince the town council to approve funding was the key to success for this exciting project. This is your library and your project and I want you to know how things are going. Feel free to contact me at (765) 759-9723 anytime, and I can update you personally as well.

Homeland Security has designated a portion of the library parking lot as being in a floodplain. This will not stop the project from going forward, however, the process we have to go through will simply delay the project. The architect and I are working through the process and working with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to make sure we jump through all the necessary hoops to get this accomplished. We have completed the required elevation surveys and are now working to get the hydrology report that is also required.

This leads us to two possible scenarios at this time. If we get the OK from the DNR to proceed and can get the project bid by September, we are hoping to break ground by mid-October. Work would begin on the addition with the goal of getting this new structure in the ground and covered by mid-December. Once that is done, the crew will start working on remodeling the interior of the existing library during the winter months. In the spring, the work could move outdoors and the outside remodeling will be done.

If the floodplain issues are not resolved soon enough, the project will be bid in the early spring and construction would start then also. Either way, it will take about one year to complete the project. Along the way, we will need to be patient and keep our eye on the prize. We plan to stay open as much as we can and only anticipate short closings throughout the project. In the end, we will have a beautiful library that functions for everyone!

Laurie’s Pick: Homegoing

It is a librarians eternal task to answer the question, “What should I read next?” The librarians here at Y.P.L. are attempting to answer that question with our Staff Picks series. Each entry will include a different recommendation from a staff member.

Today’s Staff Pick is brought to you by Laurie Hogue, our Assistant Director!

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

I’m recommending this book because…

Homegoing is a debut novel by Yaa Gyasi that left me wanting more. This novel is a multi-generational tale that takes the reader through the harrowing existence of two half-sisters who were born in Ghana in the 18^th century through eight generations, leading to present day.

The introductory characters are Effia and Esi, whose paths do not cross and they are completely unaware of one another. as they live in different villages. The lives of the sisters end up very different, setting a trajectory for the many generations to come.

“What I know now, my son: Evil begets evil. It grows. It transmutes, so that sometimes you cannot see that the evil in the world began as the evil in your own home. I’m sorry you have suffered. I’m sorry for the way your suffering casts a shadow over your life, over the woman you have yet to marry, the children you have yet to have.” – Yaa Gyasi, Homegoing

The reader is not at all sheltered from the horrors endured, this is a story full of heartache and unimaginable circumstance, strength and endurance; it is beautifully written and has rich and developed characters despite the manageable size. Although I felt completely emotionally spent when it was through, this story and the characters have stuck with me, and probably always will.

Interested in reading Homegoing?

Download the eBook.

-or-

Listen to the audio book.

Monica’s Pick: The Rules of Magic

Today’s Staff Pick is brought to you by me, Monica Thomas, Y.P.L. Technology Coordinator!

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

I’m recommending this book because…

Honesty time: I had no idea that one of my favorite movies, Practical Magic, was based on a book. When the news dropped that a prequel to Practical Magic was being released, I knew I had two books to add to my list!

I read Practical Magic first, and I enjoyed it, but it was a little forgettable. You definitely don’t need to read Practical Magic to enjoy and understand The Rules of Magic. (But if you’re like me, you probably will anyway.) The Aunts, who were one of the best parts about the movie, are barely in the first book, and not at all the eccentric, fun characters I remembered and adored.

dcdb9abf48840e29530de68d05cfae9d — Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances mixing up some midnight margaritas in *Practical Magic* (1998), a scene tragically not found in the book!

To my delight, The Rules of Magic is all about Aunt Frances and Aunt Jet (for most of the book, just Frances and Jet) as they grow up in 1960s New York City, developing their powers. The story is beautiful, tragic, and remarkably human. Yes, they’re witches, but The Rules of Magic is about so much more than curses, herbs, and superstition. At its heart, it’s a story of family, relationships, and the heartache that shapes us into who we are.

“I’m fated to lose everyone I ever love,” April said. “I already know that.”
“Of course you are,” Jet responded in her calm, measured tone. “That’s what it means to be alive.”
― Alice Hoffman, The Rules of Magic

The story spans several decades against the backdrop of real events like the Stonewall riots and the Vietnam War, and ends where Practical Magic begins. By the time I closed the back cover, I felt like I really knew these characters, like I had been through a lot with them. It was one of those books I was sad to finish, because even though I followed these characters from adolescence to old age, I just didn’t want it to end!

I adore the Frances and Jet I got to know in this book more than their Practical Magic movie versions, because they are real, fleshed-out women instead of just the eccentric, powerful aunts of Sally and Gillian. It’s a book I will revisit many more times over the years.

(Although, the midnight margarita scene will always be headcanon. I can’t help it.)

Interested in reading The Rules of Magic? Click one of the options below:

Check the availability of our physical copy.

Check the availability of our eBook copy.

Registration

*HOMESCHOOLED CHILDREN ARE WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE! GRADE YEARS ARE MEANT AS AN AGE GUIDE.

How to Earn Prizes

*ANY SHOW MARKED AS TAKING PLACE AT MORROW’S MEADOW IS WEATHER PERMITTING. IN THE CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, THOSE EVENTS WILL BE MOVED TO THE Y.E.S. GYM. BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gold Level Sponsors:

Silver Level Sponsors:

Bronze Level Sponsors:

Thank you!

Our Top 5 Picks of 2018

Monica’s Top 5

Lauren’s Top 5

Katie’s Top 5

Courtney’s Top 5

Becky’s Top 5

Beth’s Top 5

Laurie’s Top 5

Heather’s Top 5

Liz’s Top 5

Paxtyn’s Top 5

The following is a third update on our expansion and remodel from our director, Liz Rozelle.

Architect Drawings

Enter a world of fabulous freaks, exotic acts, and mysterious management…

In an intense world of illusion and intrigue, you must rely on your wit and intuition to find the killer before the Grand Finale!

How to Participate

Event Night

This will be a night you don’t want to miss!

The following is a second update on our expansion and remodel from our director, Liz Rozelle.

One Book / One Community Family Read

Registration

Book Discussion Night

The following is an update on our expansion and remodel from our director, Liz Rozelle.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

I’m recommending this book because…

Interested in reading Homegoing?

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

I’m recommending this book because…

Interested in reading The Rules of Magic? Click one of the options below: