Bee Cave Library Encourages Summer Reading with Fun Programs and Prizes

Summer at a public library is all about getting kids to read so they don’t experience the “summer slide” and lose their reading skills when they are not in school. Like other public libraries around the country, the Bee Cave Public Library is offering a range of fun programs, exciting performers and cool prizes designed to encourage everyone to visit the library and read.

Young readers can track the minutes they read using the Beanstack app or a paper log to earn a free book and a poster of themselves to hang on the library wall, along with a copy to take home. Readers have already tracked 80,000 minutes toward the library’s goal of 300,000 minutes for the summer. Teens and adults can also get in on the fun by tracking books they read for a chance to win gift cards to local restaurants and stores.

The first half of June was packed with fun, including tie-dyed shirts for teens, chalk art and snow cones for all ages, a choose-your-own-adventure program for school-age kids, and a foam party on the lawn with Big Time Bubbles. Every Saturday during June and July, except July 5, the library hosts an all-ages program, such as a magic show, a crafts program or a reptile show. One patron commented, “You guys do so many neat events, and I love that there is so much on the weekends this summer because we both work full time.”

During the week you can find programs targeted to specific ages, such as performer Silly Sparkles for the 5 and under crowd, or a drawing program for grades K-5. For a full list of fun events, visit the library’s website at beecavelibrary.com or stop by in person to pick up a calendar or get a library card.

The prize incentives offered to readers are made possible by the Friends of Bee Cave Public and generous sponsors including Eyecare Essentials, Toothbud Pediatric Dentistry, Primrose Schools, A+ Federal Credit Union, Learning Express Toys, and Texas Children’s Urgent Care. Free vision screenings for kids and adults will be offered on Saturday, June 28, by Eyecare Essentials during the afternoon crafts program from 2-3:30 p.m.

Be a Friend to the Library

The Friends of Bee Cave Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that is dedicated to increasing involvement of the community in the library and supporting its mission through fundraising, volunteering and advocacy. The group recently elected new officers and will begin meeting monthly in August after a brief summer hiatus. Community members are encouraged to join the Friends and help with plans for the library’s upcoming 20th anniversary party this fall and the award-winning Books and Bees Festival next spring. The group’s largest fundraiser, the Rolling Sculpture Car Show, will take place on Oct. 26, and funds raised will be used to support summer reading performers and incentives, scholarships for teen volunteers, the Books and Bees Festival, and other community-oriented programs.

For more information visit their website at friendsofbeecavelibrary.org. For more information about the library’s programs and services, please visit our website at beecavelibrary.com, follow us on social media, or call 512.767.6620.