Summer Reading Program begins on Wednesday, June 1st!


Beginning on Wednesday, June 1st, readers of all ages can sign up for the summer reading programs! Summer is a great time to catch up with your favorite book characters/series and it will keep your children's minds active and healthy when school's out! 
Also, our theme this year is about sports, games and being active, so our programs will keep your kids moving and shaking! For more information, see our website and check our online calendar for upcoming events!
Call for Volunteers!
We are hosting the Summer Meals program at the library this summer, where children ages 1-18 can receive a nutritious free meal every weekday from June 6th - August 19th. 
BUT...we need volunteers to help serve the food!!!
Volunteers set-up, serve and clean up from 11:30-12:30 Monday through Friday, so if you know anyone interested in helping, please contact the children's coordinator, Olivia Stoner, at ostoner@cityofmarion.org!
Family Time
Monday Evenings
At 6:30 p.m.
(All Ages)
Start your week off right by coming to Family Time! Each week will feature a different activity appropriate for all ages. We'll have crafts, movies, games, and seasonal fun to get the whole family geared up for the week.

 
Change!
No regular story times May 16 - June 7.

We're so busy getting ready for our Summer Reading Program, we're taking a short break from story times! For our special May programming, please check our calendar for upcoming events!

Wednesday, May 11th @ 10:45 am
Learning Safari

Thursday, May 12th from 3 - 5 pm
Lego Club

Friday, May 13th from 10 - 11:30 am
Babble & Brew

Tuesday, May 31st @ 10:45 am
Doodlebugs
 

Toddler Time
Tuesdays & Fridays
At 10:00 a.m.
(18 months - 3 years)
Each session is 20 minutes long and includes stories, music, and activities.



Preschool Story Time 
Tuesdays & Wednesdays*
At 10:45 a.m.
(3 - 5 years)
Each session is 30 minutes long and includes stories, music, and activities.

*Special events include: Learning Safari, Doodlebugs, and Babble & Brew.


Baby Time
Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
(0 - 18 months)
Each session is 15 minutes of books, music, bounces, and rhymes followed by 15 minutes of play.
Learning Safari: Spring Makes Me Smile
Wednesday, May 11th
at 10:45 a.m.

Flowers, the smell of fresh cut grass, and Mother's Day...These things all make me smile! Well share the book Flower Garden and plant some flowers.

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

Doodlebugs:
Making Faces - Tangled Expressions

Tuesday, May 31st
at 10:45 a.m.

Inspired by Salvador Dali, Doodlebugs will create their own Surrealist portrait by bending wires into funny faces.
Sponsored by Guaranty Bank
Doodlebugs is a hands-on art appreciation class for preschoolers and their caregivers made possible by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. 
Lego Club! 
Thursday, May 12th
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Get Creative with everyone's favorite building blocks! Build with our stash once each month on the second Thursday !

Have Legos, Duplos and Bionicles that your kids aren't using anymore? Why not donate them to the library and share the Lego love?

Longing for grown-up conversation? Want to reclaim your sanity, but need a place where your little ones will have fun too? Join us for high-quality coffee from Wit's End Coffeehouse for the adults, and lots of exciting and age appropriate toys for the kiddos. (newborns-preschoolers).
Book a Trip                
Ongoing
All Ages!
This all-ages reading program couldn't be easier: just pick up a log and start reading. Check off each state as you read a book that either takes place in that state, is about that state, or is by an author who is from that state. You can read fiction or non-fiction. We've got suggested books for each state, or pick out your own!

As you check off each state, get a dot at the Information Desk to mark your progress on our map. When you've read a book from all 50 states, pick up a special prize! Find more information on the Book a Trip page on our website.
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 and an appreciation for the library, and to provide a 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!

Library Info:

Hours:  
Monday-Thursday
9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday-Saturday
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Contact:


Marion Public Library
319-377-3412
1095 6th Ave. 
Marion, IA 52302


Library Apps
Want to look for books and check your library account when you're on the go? Download 
BookMyne for Android or the
MLN2GO app for iPhones.