"It is so important for kids to keep reading over the summer," said Jan Betty, director of children and youth at the Milanof-Schock Library. "I always encourage parents to let their children read books they enjoy, even if they're not on their reading level. Reading or rereading books that they love fosters that love of reading for life. And if you can read, you can do anything!"

Betty encourages people to sign up for the Summer Reading Program at the library, 1184 Anderson Ferry Road, Mount Joy. With a theme of "All Together Now," the program kicked off on June 3 and will run until early August.

"We had a hearty kickoff event ... with well over 300 of my closest friends stopping in to do the crafts and activities, pick up Summer Reading logs and be among the first to sign up for library programs," Betty shared.

She emphasized that it's not too late to sign up for this season's fun, which will feature plenty of activities for the whole family. "We've brought back the popular Thursday 'So You Want To' program with many friends coming in like Fire Department Mount Joy," she noted. "We have Eastland Alpacas, Tammi Hessen drumming, the PA Railroad Museum, a Civil War re-enactor and more."

Additional programs will include Lunch Bunch with mystery guests and Super Saturdays, featuring special activities on the weekend. "We have chalk drawing, story times and so much more," Betty said.

Summer Reading has been a longstanding tradition at the library, because it not only promotes literacy, but it also encourages smiles. "Sometimes you just need to relax and have fun," Betty shared. "Many of my programs are built for families to attend, because summer is a great time to do things together. And everything I do is fun, light and educational, so all my friends continue to learn."

In addition to Summer Reading, the library will participate in GO Lancaster, which is a program that is designed to get kids outside by visiting county parks. To sign up for either program, stop in at the library or visit https://mslibrary.org. To register for specific programs, call the library at 717-653-1510 or sign up via the online calendar at the library's website.