Muhlenberg County Public Libraries is excited to announce the next in a series of special traveling exhibits to be displayed at the library this year.
“Explore Space: A Cosmic Journey” will open at the library’s Thistle Cottage branch on June 4, coinciding with the library’s annual Summer Reading Program kick-off. The “Explore Space” exhibit will be available during normal business hours from June 4 through July 27.
Due to the timing, this year’s Summer Reading Program will feature space-themed programming as well. Summer Reading signups will begin May 29. Programming begins June 11 and lasts through June 29.
An open house for the exhibit and Summer Reading kickoff will be held June 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Thistle Cottage. Crafts, activities and refreshments will be available, and someone will be on hand to accept sign-ups for Summer Reading and pass out all required materials.
Summer Reading programs will serve all ages, with programs planned for preschool/elementary students, teens and adults throughout the month of June.
Regular weekly Summer Reading programs will be held according to the following schedule:
- 18 mo.-5 years: Mondays, 10 a.m. (Harbin Memorial location) and Thursdays, 10 a.m. (Central City location)
- K-2nd grade: Mondays, 1 p.m. (Harbin Memorial location) and Thursdays, 1 p.m. (Central City location)
- 3rd-5th grade: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. (Harbin Memorial location) and Fridays, 10 a.m. (Central City location)
- 6th-12th grade: Mondays, 3 p.m. (Central City location) and Tuesdays, 1 p.m. (Thistle Cottage location)
Program themes for children include rockets, outer space and aliens. Teen programs include games, crafts, a “Space Snack Bar” and even an escape room program.
Programs for adults will include a movie night on June 12 at 6 p.m. at the Central City library and a discussion program led by Ron Elliott on June 28 at 6 p.m. at Thistle Cottage. Elliott will talk about his experiences working with NASA on the Apollo space missions in the 1960s.
The Central City library will also host free all-ages Movie Days each Wednesday in June. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and drink will be provided. The movies will begin at 3 p.m.
On July 12, the library will host a finale for the children’s and teens’ programs with a book fair beginning at 9 a.m. and Animal Tales at 11 a.m. Both of those programs will take place at the Central City library.
The adult Summer Reading finale will be held July 20 at noon at the Central City library.
The library will present awards to participants during the Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie night at Lu-Ray Park in Central City on July 27. The library will also be present during the movie night with games and activities for everyone.
A full schedule of summer programming is available on the library’s website or Facebook page.
“Explore Space” is a national exhibit traveling across the country through the end of 2018, visiting a total of 14 libraries throughout the U.S. The exhibit includes informational panels appropriate for all ages, as well as a computer kiosk with games and a Discover Station with hands-on materials, including a plush solar system, a miniature telescope and more.
For more information about the exhibit or upcoming programs, visit the library’s website at http://www.mcplib.org, visit Muhlenberg County Public Libraries on Facebook or call 270-338-4760.
“Explore Space: A Cosmic Journey” is part ofthe STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) led by the National Center for Interactive Learning at the Space Science Institute. Exhibit partners include the American Library Association, the Lunar and Planetary Institute, and Afterschool Alliance. Explore Space is supported through a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Muhlenberg County Public Libraries is currently hosting the “Science in Play2Go” exhibit from the Kentucky Science Center. That exhibit closes June 2.
The library will also receive the Smithsonian-created “Hometown Teams” exhibit celebrating local sports. That exhibit arrives at Thistle Cottage in August 2018.
