May 7, 2014 By Casey Sirochman 4 min read

Across the state of Pennsylvania, public libraries will offer their annual essential program, summer reading club.

Several of the Fayette County Libraries will be participating in the collaborative Summer Library Program beginning this June.

This year’s kid’s theme, “Fizz, Boom, Read!,” explores all types of science topics from robots to experiments to geology and much, much more.

The 2014 Summer Library Program is open to all ages — preschool through adult — with programs, story times, educational shows, weekly events and reading clubs.

The Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville will again offer area adults an opportunity to participate in the science-themed program “Literary Elements,” or the adult summer reading program.

This program will run from noon to 1 p.m. every other Saturday starting June 14.

Adults are invited to read for prizes and to participate in a discussion of the themes including climate change, DNA testing and forensics, among others.

Another upcoming program for adults is “How to Mine the Past and Turn Facts into Fiction” workshop led by Marian Szczepanski, author of the debut historical novel, “Playing St. Barbara” 6-7:30 p.m. May 28.

Is there a story in your family’s past? Learn some “dos” and “don’ts” about historical research: find your subject, explore ways to approach it, identify sources of information and develop a timeline.

Carnegie Free Library will also hold a read-a-thon competition. Children and teens will be asked to set a goal of the amount of pages they will read this summer and collect pledge donations on a per page basis. For example, if a youth reads 500 pages and you pledge 10 cents a page, your donation will be $50. The more the community pledges and the more the youth read means more money gets donated to two local worthy causes. Another option is to give a flat donation.

Half of the proceeds from the Carnegie Free Library Read-a-thon will be donated to the Connellsville Area Community Ministries and the other half will go to children and teen programming at the library.

For children pre-kindergarten to sixth grade, kick off your summer at our Backyard Carnival on June 18 and enjoy the other special programs on the following Wednesdays.

Full schedule of events will be available later in May.

This free program will run 11 a.m. every Wednesday from June 18 to Aug. 6.

All children ages 2 through 12 are welcome.

Free lunch will be provided to youth after each weekly event sponsored by Champion Christian School through the Summer Feeding Program. Area teens are encouraged to participate in “Spark a Reaction,” the Carnegie Free Library’s teen summer reading program.

The program will run 11 a.m. to noon every Tuesday starting June 17 through Aug. 5.

Free lunch will be provided after the program. Teens are invited to read for prizes and to participate in creating exhibits for the “Invention Convention Museum” which will be open for parents and friends to view on the last day of the program. Other special events will take place as well. Teens can register for the program by going to carnegiefreelib.org beginning May 19. Teens that participate in the reading program will be eligible for the grand prizes to be given the last day of the program during the “Mad Scientist” party.

Don’t forget about our Bedtime Stories, sponsored by Pinky Toes Child Care and Development Center, is held on Mondays, May 12 and 19 and that the library will be closed for Memorial Day on May 26. Check out our websites and Facebook pages for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

Casey Sirochman is the director/head librarian at Carnegie Free Library. She can be reached at 299 S. Pittsburgh St., Connellsville, by email at casey.ccfl@gmail.com or by calling 724-628-1380.