Welcome to our newest issue of What’s Up in the Loft, a newsletter for middle & high school students. Each month, we’ll highlight various library resources, new book recommendations, and upcoming events.
Summer Reading Preview
Students at Park Ridge schools are getting sneak previews of our Summer Reading program as our Middle & High School Coordinator, Maddie, visits to talk about great books to read for the summer, fantastic events we have planned, and ways you can earn tremendous prizes.
Starting June 2, track the days that you read at least twenty minutes online in Beanstack. For every ten days logged, you’ll receive a vinyl sticker of your choice and a virtual raffle ticket which you can enter into various prize drawings (more details on prizes to come). After thirty days logged, you’ll also earn a prize book! You can also participate in different activities throughout the summer to earn even more stickers and virtual raffle tickets.
If you’re not sure WHAT to read this summer, we are so ready to help you out.
- Looking for books with a Lexile over 1,000? Visit our display in the Loft – we’ve purchased extra copies of several excellent titles to help you out.
- Taking advanced/AP English next year? We’ve got copies of your assigned texts for summer and made sure we have extra copies of everything.
- Attending Maine South but taking a different English class? Here’s a link to your assignment and to a selection of recommended books from your school librarians & peers.
- Finally looking forward to some free reading time but have no idea where to start? We’ve got a zillion booklists to help you get started – and if you’re still not sure, fill out a Book Match to receive a personalized list of recommendations.
- Too busy listening to your favorite album to find a book to read? How about we pair each track off that album with a recommended book? Try our Full Album Book Match today!
- Take a look at the newest items in our teen collections and see what strikes your fancy.
- Walk around our shelves & peep a shelf talker – it’s totally OK to judge our books by their covers.
- Ask a staff member at the desk in the Loft for a suggestion!
![Finals Study Space. Grades 6-12.]()
Finals Study Space
We know it can be tricky to find a good study spot here at the Library during finals time – so we’re opening up our first floor meeting room for snack-friendly study sessions as available. Drop in and study in a quietish space, munch on some snacks (BYO), and destress with some relaxing study break activities when you need.
Wednesday, May 21 – 7:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 22 – 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday, May 23 – 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 24 – 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 25 – Monday, May 26: Library Closed for Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 27 – 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28 – 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
![upcoming events]()
Summer Sneak Preview
Many of our summer events are happening thanks to ideas from our T[w]een Advisory Board. Here’s a peek*:
🎈 Balloon animal workshop
📚 (Un)Popular Opinions Book Discussions
🔱 Camp Half-Blood
❓ Clash of Pages (book trivia from current popular series AND faves from your childhood)
🎲 Low-Stakes Game Night
🪂 Preschool for Teens
🧶 Craft Supply Swap
* we have a ton of other awesome programs scheduled, they just aren’t TAB ideas, so you’ll have to wait for our Summer Newsletter to hear about them (or click here). 😏
As always, you can share your feedback with us here – we’d love to hear your Lofty thoughts!
All summer long, our WUITL issues will spotlight various aspects of the Teen Loft to welcome new t[w]eens into our space. If you’ve got an idea for a feature, or something else you’d like to contribute to this newsletter, let us know!
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