We’re always looking for fun, free things to do over the summer, and the Library has them!
You can visit the Discovery Center of Springfield or the History Museum on the Square for free. All you need is your library card, and you can check out a pass for either museum at any Springfield-Greene County Library branch, Mobile Library, or Library Express East and Library Express West 24-hour kiosk. Passes admit up to six people and are valid for seven days. Look for the display in the libraries to check out a pass for either museum with your valid library card. For more information and guidelines about the passes, visit thelibrary.org/passes.
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Any library card holder can also check out from the Library an Adventure Backpack. Each one is filled with gadgets and field guides – often a magnifying glass, Port-O-Bug container – to help kids explore all aspects of the outdoors. Backpacks come in themes: Bugs, Geology, Nature Exploration, Birdwatching, Animals, and Plants. Families with elementary-age children can check them out for three weeks from your neighborhood branch, or request one through thelibrary.org/catalog to be sent to your library, the Library Express East, or the Library Express West kiosks. Search for the keywords: Adventure Backpack: (and the topic you want).
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The Library is launching a new series for grades 3-7 and their caregivers called Get Cooking at the Library, using a small, portable kitchen on a cart at the Midtown Carnegie Branch Maker Space.
On Saturday, June 24, from 1-3, we’ll cover Tools of the Trade for Kid Chefs. We’ll learn how to prepare recipes, kitchen safety, and cooking skills. Registration starts June 10; call 417-862-0135. Provided in partnership with the University of Missouri Extension Greene County and Springfield Community Gardens.
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On Tuesday, July 11 at 2 p.m. in the Library Station Frisco Room, join our friends from Dickerson Park Zoo to learn about “Partners in Survival: Teamwork in the Animal Kingdom.” Kids will meet fascinating animals, discover how organisms rely on each, and leave with a greater appreciation for the interconnectedness of life on Earth.
Kathleen O’Dell is the community relations director of the Springfield-Greene County Library District. She can be reached at kathleeno@thelibrary.org.
