July 6, 2020 at 5:15 p.m.
Rhinelander District Library kicks off virtual summer reading program
Craft kits, contests and games will promote literacy
Rhinelander District Library kicks off virtual summer reading program
By Stephanie Kuski-
The program was altered to an online format to help curb the spread of COVID-19, but that obstacle has not hindered the creativity behind the summer-long event.
RDL Library Assistant Cindy Weddle said the goal of the program is to promote summer literacy while having fun and staying creative. In support of that mission, the library recently received a $1,000 grant from Dollar General specifically to promote teen literacy.
"Their main goal is to help kids who may not be reading at all in the summer, or kids who are struggling with their reading levels," Weddle explained. "They really want to promote within each community the availability of books... and they want to help kids be successful in school and into adulthood with literacy."
Aided with those funds, RDL will give away approximately 100 books to teens aged 13 to 18. The funds were also used to purchase craft kits, contest prizes and a new silhouette vinyl cutting machine to create customized decals. All of these efforts are meant to attract teens to the library while creating a fun atmosphere that promotes lifelong literacy.
Additionally, the funds from Dollar General will also sponsor a new Young Adult Book Club, which Weddle said is on track to start in the fall.
In the meantime, however, there are many virtual events set to take place in the weeks ahead.
The first event is a "Virtual Enchanted Dessert Decorating Contest," in which participants are to decorate any kind of dessert that follows the theme of mythology, fantasy or fairy tales. Those interested are asked to email photos of the desserts, along with a name and phone number, to [email protected] by July 10. Patrons can vote for their favorite dessert via Survey Monkey on Facebook and Instagram beginning July 13. Winners will be announced July 31, and the top three winners will receive a Golden Harvest gift certificate.
RDL will also host several virtual events. Since its "It's All Greek To Me" festival had to be canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, that event has been altered to an online format, which includes two virtual games in addition to two take-home, mythology-themed craft kits.
In addition, the "Guess Which God I Am" virtual trivia game will take place once a week on the library's Facebook page and Instagram, in which various trivia questions and hints about Greek gods will be posted so patrons can guess the correct corresponding god. Randomly selected participants will win gift cards to local businesses.
Keeping with the mythological theme, a mosaic craft kit will be available July 27 through Aug. 8 and a laurel wreath kit will be available Aug. 10 through Aug. 22. These kits will provide the basics to create a small, simple craft. To curb the potential spread of COVID-19, these kits will not be in the open and patrons must request them by either asking the front desk or calling in advance for curbside pickup.
The library's final mythology-themed virtual event will be "Spin The Wheel," based on the game of "Wheel of Fortune." Once a week, the library will post a popular phrase taken from mythological roots to its Facebook and Instagram, and participants can direct message their answers. A random selection of winners will receive gift certificates to local businesses.
A "Virtual Craft Contest" will also be available in place of the "Fairy Garden Crafternoon" that was originally scheduled to be held in person.
A fairy garden craft kit (or, alternatively, a clay flower pot remake kit) will be available July 13 through July 25, or until supplies last. Twenty-five fairy garden kits are specifically reserved for teens, thanks to the Dollar General grant. Kits include the basics to start a simple fairy garden: soil, pebbles, small accessories and one to two plants will be included, but participants will need to supply their own pot(s).
These kits must be requested at the front desk or by calling in advance for curbside pickup. Interested participants are requested to email photos of their crafts to [email protected] by July 27 for voting, which will take place via Survey Monkey on Facebook and Instagram until Aug.15. Winners will be announced Aug. 17 and the top three will receive a Hobby Lobby gift certificate.
In addition to those craft kits, other "filler" craft kits will also be available, including a floppy disc notebook, a corkscrew pendant and a "Game of Thrones" cellphone holder. These kits aren't as elaborate as the aforementioned craft kits, but will be available throughout the duration of the summer reading program.
In line with the theme of fairy tales, a writing contest will also take place. Those interested are asked to craft a fractured fairy tale, or a story that takes an existing fairy tale and rewrites it with a humorous twist. Stories are due by Aug. 10 and can be emailed to cweddle@
rhinelanderlibrary.org or returned to the library along with a name and phone number. Library staff will read and vote on the winner (to be announced Aug. 17), who will receive a basketful of goodies.
The library will also feature a "Show and Tell" on its Facebook and Instagram throughout the duration of the program.
Interested participants are asked to take a picture of an item that tells a story about themselves and email that photo, along with a short description, to [email protected].
Additionally, Weddle said the library hosts a scavenger hunt every year in the library, but this year that event will be held downtown and hosted in an online format.
"We're going to take business names, street names and things that are visible downtown - whether it's on a sign, business, etc. - and create riddles... that will lead them to find a hidden golden ring," Weddle explained. "Clues will be loosely based on trying to connect it to the 'Mythology, Fairy Tale and Fantasy' theme."
Throughout the duration of the summer reading program, clues will be posted roughly five times per week on the library's Facebook and Instagram, she added, meaning participants will have many opportunities to search for the golden ring. Each day a new clue is released, the first person to find the ring must either bring it to the library or email a photo to [email protected] in order to receive a local gift certificate.
In addition to these virtual events, library patrons can also request a bookmark to win a prize for each book checked out throughout the duration of the reading program.
"Let's say you read 10 books: you can turn in 10 bookmarks and you get entered to win the grand prize 10 times," Weddle explained, "but you can also choose a weekly prize, so you have a guarantee of getting at least a prize for turning in those bookmarks."
The library will sponsor six weeks of prizes based on the themes of mythology, fantasy and fairy tales (plus lots of books to choose from), in which participants who turn in a bookmark may win up to one prize per day. To curb the spread of the virus, winners can choose their prize from a binder of photos.
RDL also asks participants to either place all bookmarks in a plastic container when returning them to the library, or to leave the bookmark(s) in the book when returning it so RDL staff can remove it and record the name and number 72 hours later.
The grand prize for the bookmarks will be awarded on Aug. 28. For each bookmark participant, the amount of the grand prize increases by $1, meaning the grand prize winner has the potential to receive a maximum of $100 in Chamber Bucks (gift certificates that can be spent at local businesses).
"We have like a thermometer gauge in our library," Weddle said. "It's fun to see, week by week, how many people are participating and how much the money is going up."
Their goal is to get 200 participants throughout the duration of the program, she added.
Teens who turn in at least one bookmark will also get first dibs to sign up to use the library's new silhouette vinyl decal machine.
Virtual worm race
Although not part of the summer reading program, the library's 32nd annual Worm Race will also be held in a virtual format this year via Facebook Live at 1:30 p.m. on July 28. Children's librarian Denise Chojnacki said interested participants will need to find their own worms, create their own track and find their own teammates. Races can be held at any location.
All participants are encouraged to start at the same time so RDL can post updates in real time via Facebook Live. No prizes will be awarded this year, due to the online format, but interested participants are still encouraged to share their fun virtually.
To participate, pictures of those races and/or short video clips can be posted to the Facebook Live event or emailed to denise@
rhinelanderlibrary.org, which will be shared on RDL's Facebook and website. Those interested in participating are encouraged to register beforehand.
For more information on the summer reading program or other events, visit the library's Facebook, Instagram, website, or call (715) 365-1070.
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