Greetings from the Great Bend Public Library! All good things must come to an end eventually, including the Summer Library Program. While we will still have a few events next week, this Friday, July 18, marks the end of our summer program. But worry not, we are going out with a bang.
For those of you participating in the Summer Reading Program, children’s minutes will be due Friday, while adults and teens will have until July 31 to turn in their minutes. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped us make this another great summer at the library. I would also like to take a moment to thank our sponsors for helping us make our Summer Library Program possible: Applebees; Club One Fitness; Farmers Bank and Trust; First Kansas Bank; Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers; Johnson Electric Inc.; Kiwanis International; OPI; the Pilot Club of Great Bend; Progress Club; Results Realty; Spectrum CPA Partners; Starbucks; Stone and Sand Co. Inc.; Tonie Standish; the University of Kansas Health System; Walmart; Wendy’s; and Wheatland Electric.
As for our other upcoming events, today (July 17) we have our regular Genealogy Thursday at 11 a.m. Later, check out this month’s Teen Manga & Anime Club at 5:30 p.m. For July’s club meeting, we’ll be covering “Welcome to the Ballroom” by Tomo Takeuchi. “It tells the story of an aimless Japanese youth named Tatara Fujita, who, after a chance encounter, is plunged into the world of competitive dancing (Wikipedia).” After the discussion, it’s dance party time! Get your groove on and see if you can keep up the rhythm to a variety of songs from chart-topping hits to classic tracks in the Just Dance series.
Friday is our aforementioned Gallery Gala Wrap Party. We will have a popcorn bar, games, and awesome door prizes. This will also be the time to pick up your mini gallery pieces that you made at the Summer Kick-off Party and see art made at library programs over the summer. This event will be all day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with door prize drawings at 4 p.m.
Monday, July 21, we will have a Genealogy Corner focusing on taking you through the library’s resources available to you in your family search. The tour will begin at 5 p.m.
On July 24, in addition to our regular Genealogy Thursday at 11 a.m., we will be having Broadway Musical Trivia at Dry Lake Brewing that evening at 7 p.m. Test your knowledge of everything from “Hello, Dolly!” to “Hamilton” for the chance to win fabulous prizes and free beer.
Next Thursday is also your last chance to try out our limited-time VR experience, “The Journey Back.” Discover the power of virtual reality as it enhances Holocaust education through 360-degree immersive technology. “Walk” with Holocaust survivors through childhood hometowns and concentration camps as they share their stories of survival, creating an unforgettable experience. Headset use will be available upon request for teens and adults through July 24. If you have never tried VR before, this is a unique opportunity to walk through history firsthand that you won’t want to miss.
Hannah Grippin is outreach manager at the Great Bend Public Library. To see what else we are up to at the library, stop by and grab our summer newsletter so you can stay up to date on all the artful fun happening through August! Find us on social media @greatbendpl and visit our website, greatbendpl.info. You can also message us on Facebook and Instagram, email us at gbcirc@gmail.com, or give us a call at 620-792-2409 with any questions about our programming or services.
