Summer Reading 2023

Summer Reading Program

Youth 0-18

We’re excited to introduce a new way of approaching our Summer Reading Program for kids. Does your child think of reading as homework or something they only do over the summer for a cheap plastic prize? Studies show that this external motivation actually stunts reading growth, even for great readers! We want to flip that script. We are designing programming that will help families make reading an integral and fun part of their daily lives. This is the kind of internal motivation that grows lifelong readers and engaged, curious kids! Every Monday night we’ll have a different event that will help make reading fun, get your children talking about reading, and give them ownership of their library. Can’t make it Monday night? No worries! The activities will be available throughout the week whenever you drop by. 


Summer Reading: Family Literacy Dinner 
Monday, Jun. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event

Kick off Summer Reading with a FREE spaghetti dinner catered by Napoli’s! Bring the whole family and enjoy food, stories, and talk about books. Your youth librarian will speak briefly about the best strategies for growing lifelong readers while you eat your fill. Then create your own learning goals for this summer and decorate a reading log of your own design! 


Summer Reading: Cozy Reading Nooks
Monday, Jun. 19, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event

Could you read them in a nook?
Could you read them by a brook?
Could you read them here or there?
I bet you could read them anywhere!

Where do you read your books? Come to the library and create a cozy reading nook somewhere in the library. Will you make a blanket fort between the shelves? Under a table? Snuggle up on a couch with a drink and a stack of books? Or will you head outside under a tree? At home with the dog? Create the coziest, comfiest nook and take a picture of you reading in it. Send your photos to ask@burlingtonlibrary.org or post them on social media and tag us!


Summer Reading: Be an Illustrator with Jerry Moffitt from Do Art Productions!
Monday, Jul. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Family Event

Join Jerry Moffitt from Do Art Productions comics team to learn all about illustrating books. He’ll talk about his creative process, how he approaches a book, and what comic publishing looks like behind the scenes. Then you’ll get to pick your favorite book in the library and create a new cover for it! We’ll attach that cover and keep it on the book for the whole summer! If you register ahead, we’ll have your book ready and waiting for you!


Summer Reading: Be an Author with Ana Michelle
Monday, Jul. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
Family Event

Join Ana Michelle, published author of Long Live the King, to learn all about illustrating books. She’ll talk about her writing process, how she approaches creating characters, and how to get published. Then create your own, magnificent book, fill it with your thoughts, stories, and illustrations. You can take it home, or leave it in our “My Books” library for others to read! 


Summer Reading: Kindness Bookmarks
Monday, Jun. 26, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event

Everyone needs a little more kindness. Did you know reading is one of the most effective ways of promoting empathy? Make it even better by creating kindness bookmarks and hiding them in books here at the library, at home, in Little Free Libraries around town, and at the new Burlington Library Outposts at local businesses including Kravings, Archives, The Coffee House on Chestnut and Pine, and Low Daily! Kindness rocks just got booked!


Summer Reading: Buddy Reading
Monday, Jul. 24 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jul. 25 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Jul. 26 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Friday, Jul. 28 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Family Event

Reading is better together. This week we’ll have extra therapy dogs to read to. Who else can you read to? A favorite stuffed animal? A younger sibling? A grandparent, neighbor, or friend? Come to the library to read with a therapy dog this week and take a picture of you reading with a buddy. Send them to ask@burlingtonlibrary.org or post them on social media and tag us!


Summer Reading: Book Hunt
Monday, Jul. 31, 6:30 p.m.
Family Event

How well do you know your library? Clues hidden throughout the library will lead you to a secret prize! Come Monday night to hunt in teams, or throughout the week to search on your own. 


Year Round Readers Festival!
Monday, Aug. 14 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Family Event

Because reading doesn’t end when Summer does, we will have a Year Round Readers Festival! There will be karaoke, a food truck, popcorn, carnival games, community booths, and more. The whole City will turn out to show just how important reading and learning is to our community! Eat, play games, win prizes, sing, dance, and….create your reading and learning goals for the fall! Thank you to our sponsors: United Way of Racine County and the Burlington Coalition for Dismantling Racism.

 

Holiday Closings

The regular hours of the Burlington Public Library are:

Monday – Thursday: 9am to 8pm
Friday: 9am to 6pm
Saturday: 9am to 4:30pm
Sunday: Noon to 4pm (closed on Sundays during the summer)

In addition, BPL is closed for the following holidays:

  • Saturday, December 31, 2022
  • Sunday, January 1, 2023
  • Sunday, April 9, 2023
  • Monday, May 29, 2023
  • Tuesday, July 4, 2023
  • Monday, September 4, 2023
  • Thursday, November 23, 2023
  • Sunday, December 24, 2023
  • Monday, December 25, 2023
  • Sunday, December 31, 2023
  • Monday, January 1, 2024

Check out Museum Passes!

The Museum Adventure Pass program provides free admission to unique cultural destinations throughout the Greater Chicago area to library card holders at over 140 public libraries, including the Burlington Public Library.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Check out a Museum Adventure Pass using your library card at your home library. Passes are issued at the Reference Desk. Libraries have a limited number of passes for each participating organization. Passes are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and can be reserved online or in person. We look forward to your library visit!
  2. One Museum Adventure pass may be checked out per family, per loan period. The loan period is seven days. Admission offers vary per museum. For some, two to four people may admitted free per pass. If admission is already free, another special discount will be available. Details can be found at http://www.museumadventure.org.
  3. Passes are limited to general admission. Each organization’s page at http://www.museumadventure.org gives specific dates when passes cannot be used, and other restrictions that may apply.
  4. Please bring a driver’s license or state ID with you when visiting a museum using an adventure pass, as well as the pass itself.

Participating museums and cultural institutions include:

For further information, please visit the Museum Adventure Pass program’s web site.

Why I Love Burlington Public Library

During National Library Week (2nd week in April), library patrons had the opportunity to fill out postcards that started with “I love my library because”…  We received 60 responses, which were displayed for a month and are transcribed below.  They are by no means an unbiased sampling (“I love my Library because” is kind of a leading question), but these responses do demonstrate the breadth of activities that the library provides to engage and enrich the lives of the Burlington community.

“I love my library because”…

  • “I love to come to this friendly, helpful, well organized library and get free books to enjoy.”
  • “There are a lot of games and Legos.”
  • “I can watch and read things without buying them.”
  • “I like books.”
  • “All the books.”
  • “Love (being) at the library because it’s nice and quiet.”
  • “All the extras like movies, book club & seminars.”
  • “All the free resources, friendly people, kid friendly, classes to learn, I love learning.”
  • “I am a traveling sales rep and having books on CD helps pass the many miles very entertained.”
  • “We love the library because it keeps our kids involved in reading.”
  • “All the people who work there!  Love holding a book in my hands.  Don’t like online reading.  My library always has my favorite authors.”
  • “Calligraphy classes, kids programming, friendly staff.” (Several smiley face emojis)
  • “I love the smell of a real book.  All the people who work at the library are great!!”
  • “I love a quiet place to do homework for my degree!”
  • “This is not enough space for my reasons why I love my library!”
  • “Every day is like Christmas when picking up my holds.”
  • “It has all the book series that I read.”
  • “The books give wide selections of topics.”
  • “It has so many things to do and books we can bring home.”
  • “There are books I love.”
  • “My kids love coming to find new books to read!”
  • “The librarians are the best.”
  • “We love to learn reading new books.”
  • “They help find books I want to read.”
  • “They have lots of fun books.”  (Hearts and Smiley faces)
  • “Wonderful selection and wonderful staff.”
  • “I have access to books & movies!”
  • “It has all the books I love!”
  • “You provide a facility for many varied opportunities for so many people.”
  • “…BARB!!”
  • “You provide your wonderful facility for us to do our lessons in the quiet space of the conference room, and have wonderful materials for me to use and check out.”
  • “I love to read and the library gives me a chance to read many books for no cost.”
  • “There is great people and lots to look at.”
  • “I have started reading again and it can get quite costly.  It’s nice to be able to get good reads.  FREE!”
  • “They have all my favorite books.”
  • “Easy free entertainment.”
  • “It is convenient.”
  • “Of the wonderful people working at the Burlington location and the interstate system so you can get books from various Wisconsin locations.  Thanks again.”
  • “It has books, movies, Legos, and crafts.”
  • “You have such helpful staff.”
  • “They have my favorite books by Rich Riordan.”
  • “The people who work here really rock!  And the programs are good too.  We love the hotspot.”
  • “Because of your hours and access to computers, movies, programs of a creative nature.  Thank you for being there.”
  • “It is awesome!  Love it!”
  • “I can get books without having to buy them.”
  • “I couldn’t start my day without my book and a cup of coffee!!  No, really!!!”
  • “I love to read.”
  • “They have the best staff!”
  • “Of all the great books and movies, etc., they have and because of all the kind, helpful people who work there!”
  • “It’s a very friendly and welcoming place.”
  • “I love the free movies on Monday.  I love the helpful people who research videos, books, etc. for us.  I love the craft classes and interesting speakers.”
  • “Because I can get the latest books when they come and do not have to pay for books.  The help is always friendly.”
  • L              Ladies
    I              Interesting
    B             Books
    R             Research
    A             Assistance
    R             Reference
    Y             YEAH!
  • “I am able to check out amazing books for my 2 sons and I to enjoy!”
  • “The employees are so awesome, helpful, and happy to help us.  Thanks for the great work!!”
  • “It saves me a ton of money on books.”
  • “Because Jackson and Nanni love the library and so do I.  Jackson is “2” now, we’ve been coming since Jackson was 3 months.  And we love the staff.”
  • “I drive a lot and love borrowing audio books.”
  • “They always have something new – not just books – for all ages.  If you can’t find something to interest you – it’s your own fault!!”
  • “Of all the great resources, and the friendly staff that helps use those resources.”

Welcome to the Burlington Public Library

Burlington Public Library is here to serve the community.  We provide interesting and enlightening materials for education and personal enrichment.  Whether you come here every day or haven’t stopped in years, we are here for you.   We answer questions big and small, and even when we’re closed, our digital content is always available.

Need help?  Call us at 262-342-1130 or email us at ask@burlington.lib.wi.us.  We’re happy to help!