Summer hours begin Sunday, May 31st.

Summer Meals

Every Weekday Afternoon (Monday-Friday) 12:00-12:45 p.m. June 8-August 21

We're a Summer Meals site providing free and nutritious hot lunches to any child or teen (1-18) who walks through our doors Monday-Friday throughout the summer. This program is made possible by Horizons Family Services, United Way, Marion Cares, the USDA, and our amazing volunteers.

If you would like more information about the program, or if you would like to volunteer, please contact Children's Services Coordinator Olivia Stoner via email: ostoner@cityofmarion.org or phone: 319-377-3412.

Readers Assemble!

We're SUPER excited to present our 2015 Summer Reading Program theme: "Every Hero Has a Story!"

We will be celebrating heroes of all kinds from comic book superheroes to everyday community heroes. Get signed up on our website or at the Children's Desk starting June 1st and begin earning incentives for doing something that's already super fun: reading!

June Events:

Mondays:

6/1 - 6:30 p.m. Lego Night: Come build with our huge collection of Legos and put your work on display!

6/8 - 6:30 p.m. KCRG Weather Academy: Meteorologists keep us safe by predicting bad weather. Learn how they do that and more at the KCRG Weather Academy!

6/15 - 6:30 p.m. Cowboy Randy Erwin: Hear world-famous yodeler, Cowboy Randy, sing and watch him do amazing rope tricks. You may recognize him as the voice of bad guy Almeda Slim from Disney's "Home on the Range." Don't worry; he's really a good guy with a great voice!

6/22 - 6:30 p.m. "Be a Hero" Family Volunteer Fair (see below)

6/29 - 6:30 p.m. Superhero Training (Registration Required): Think you have what it takes to be a superhero? Test and hone your skills at our superhero training event! (Ages 5-12)

Tuesdays:

6/2 - 2:00 p.m. Cedar Valley Humane Society: Learn about animal rescue and adoption and maybe even meet a special animal from the Humane Society!

6/9 - 2:00 p.m. Marion Fire Fighters: Come learn about all of the amazing things fire fighters do to keep us safe, and check out their super cool red truck!

6/16 - 2:00 p.m. Marion Police Department: Listen to Officer Daubs talk about all of the important work he does protecting the citizens of Marion!

6/23 - 2:00 p.m. Army Visit: Come hear about our troops and how they are true superheroes serving our country. Then write a letter to a soldier to let them know how thankful you are for their service.

6/30 - 2:00 p.m. Super Foods Cooking Class (Registration Required): Cook up some super yummy food that tastes good and is good for you! (Ages 5-12)

Wednesdays:

6/3 - 7/22 9:30 a.m. Yoga Story Time ( Please Register and bring your own mat): Act out stories and learn how to use your brain, body, breath, and balance every day with story time yoga for your whole family. (Ages 3-12, children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult)

6/10 - 2:00 p.m. Author Visit: David LaRochelle (see below)

6/17 - 2:00 p.m. Michael Recycle Program: Hear the story of Michael, a recycling hero. Then practice being a recycling hero with interactive activities!

6/24- 2:00 p.m. Grout Museum: Superhero Science: Discover the Science of Superheroes. Learn about flight, x-rays, and get up close and personal with the animal that gave Peter Parker super powers.

Thursdays:

6/4 - 2:00 p.m. Movie: Big Hero 6 (PG): Watch Hero, Baymax and friends battle to save Sanfransokyo.

6/11 - 2:00 p.m. Lego Club (All ages, children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult): Play with our huge stash of everyone's favorite building blocks!

6/18 - 2:00 p.m. Movie: The Avengers (PG-13): Watch Captain American, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, and Hawkeye save New York.

6/25 - 2:00 p.m. Game Day (All ages, children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult): Play with our big collection of board and video games!

Author David LaRochelle Visit and Writing Contest!

Wednesday, June 10th

at 2:00 p.m.

Come see David LaRochelle, author of Moo!, It's a Tiger, The Best Pet of All and many more as he entertains with his unique and hilarious stories! Stay afterwards and meet him; he'll even sign a book for you!

In honor of David's visit we're holding a writing contest this summer. Winners will get a special congratulations from David, plus a prize pack. For more details click here.

Be a Hero!

Family Volunteer Fair

Monday, June 22nd

at 6:30 p.m.

Join us to discover how families can get involved in our community and give back. Hear a story about kindness. Make a craft that will put a smile on the face of someone who receives it. Then visit tables with representatives from charitable organizations who will tell you about the important work they do and how you can help! We will have a prize drawing for participants who visit every table.

Little Heroes Program

Littles get to build their early literacy skills this year with a Summer Reading Program just for them: "Every LITTLE Hero Has a Story!"

Sign up online or at the Children's Desk starting June 1st, then complete daily literacy activities and earn incentives for learning and playing together!

Story Times:

Summer Story Times begin June 1st

Toddler Time:

Tuesdays & Fridays at 10 a.m. (18 months to 3 years)

Each session is 20 minutes long and includes stories, music, and activities.

Yoga Story Time:

Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. (Ages 3-12, children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult)

Act out stories and learn how to use your brain, body, breath, and balance every day with story time yoga for your whole family. Please register and bring your own mat.

Preschool Story Time:

Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 10:45 a.m. (3 years to 5 years)

Each session is 30 minutes long and includes stories, music, and activities.

Baby Time:

Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. (birth to 18 months)

Each session is 15 minutes of books, music, bounces, and rhymes followed by 15 minutes of play.

Lowe Park Story Time:

Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. (all ages)

Each session of this all-ages story time at Lowe Park (4500 N 10th Street) is 20-30 minutes long and will be either outside in the Klopfenstein Amphitheater or in the Lowe Arts and Environment Center depending on the weather.

Babble & Brew:
Playtime for Them, Coffee for You

Saturday, June 20th

Drop in between 10:00 and 11:30 a.m.

Longing for grown-up conversation? Want to reclaim your sanity, but need a place where your little ones will have fun, too? Do you want to network with other parents in our community? Really like coffee? Then Babble & Brew is for you! We will have high-quality coffee from Wit's End Coffeehouse for the adults, and lots of exciting and age-appropriate toys for the kiddos (newborns-preschoolers).

1000 Books Before Kindergarten!

Ongoing

Children ages 0 - Pre-K

This program is designed to help parents prepare their children for one of life's big milestones: kindergarten. Research has proven over and over that children get ready to read years before they begin their formal education. The most effective way to get your child ready to learn is to read to them. We hope to foster a love of reading, an appreciation for the library, and healthy and happy bonding time for children and their caregivers as we encourage you along the way. You can sign up online by clicking here. Then stop by the Children's Desk, and we'll get you started with a log!

Learning Safari: Color My Mood

Wednesday, June 10th

at 10:45 a.m.

Learning Safari is a special story time and art class for preschoolers in partnership with the African American Museum.

Helping preschoolers describe and explain their feelings can be difficult. Today's book My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood, can be a kicking off point to help your children talk about what makes their moods change and how to express themselves by using colors.

Doodlebugs: Silver Sparks and Golden Glow

Tuesday, June 23rd

at 10:45 a.m.

Doodlebugs is a hands-on art appreciation class for preschoolers and their caregivers made possible by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. We share stories, learn about how art is made and about the lives of famous artists, then we make our own masterpieces!

It's time for fireworks. We'll make sparkly art in a rainbow of metallic colors, just in time for the 4th of July. Sponsored by Guaranty Bank.

Library Info

Summer Hours:

Monday-Wednesday

9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Thursday (June-August)

9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Friday-Saturday

9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday (Memorial Day-Labor Day)

Closed

Visit our website

Marion Public Library

319-377-3412

1095 6th Ave.

Marion, IA 52302

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Learn all about our library building project!

We have selected a developer for our building project. All documents are posted at our website, including updates from Library Director Doug Raber, and our Cost Benefit Analysis.

Find out what's in the future for the library and voice your opinion in a survey. Visit our website and click on the Inspire logo, or go directly to the information here: marionpubliclibrary.org/inspire.