Timberland Regional Library’s 2006 Summer Reading Program offers a full season of opportunities to learn about pets, working animals and wildlife, attend interactive performances and presentations, join in creative activities, and pick up prizes. The themes this year are "Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales" for children, and "Creature Feature" for teens. Participation in all parts of the program is free of charge.

Sign-up is at any Timberland library in Thurston, Mason, Lewis, Pacific or Grays Harbor County as soon as school is out in each area. Participants will receive a book bag with complete program materials so they can get started right away.

TRL’s summer program is designed for very young preschoolers and families as well as older children and teens. School-age youth, during their hard-earned vacation time, will discover fascinating information about animals, hobnob with some furry, feathered or scaly critters, and keep their reading skills sharp. Not-yet-readers will pick up skills and knowledge that will help them get ready to read—skills such as learning new words, following words on a page, and describing things. Parents and caregivers can sign up babies and preschoolers, read with them, and bring them to the library for story times and other programs.

Programs and presentations are designed to actively involve participants. Among the hundreds of programs being offered districtwide, two headliners will perform throughout the library system. Hans Meyer will sing ear-tickling songs about the everyday concerns of childhood while playing guitar, mandolin and Native American flute. "My brother eats bugs!" is one of his hilarious original songs. The

Activated Storytellers will present a pair of lively musical plays: "The Dragon of Krakow," a Polish fable about a boy and a sleeping dragon, and "Following the Buzz," a Japanese tale of a man who dreams of following bees to a pot of gold.

Other presenters will discuss, and often show, a variety of animals from rescue dogs, to reptiles, to fancy show hens. Storytellers, library story times and craft programs will celebrate the pets and wildlife that live in books and in our imaginations. In addition, Timberland Regional Library is sponsoring pet food drives to benefit local animal shelters and food banks. To donate pet food or supplies, people will find marked boxes at all 27 Timberland libraries.

When participants (or their parents or caregivers) turn in prize claim forms at their library in July or August, they will receive coupons for free pizza and admissions to area attractions. Individual library branches also award prizes provided by local businesses, Friends of the Library groups and other organizations at different times during the summer.

For more information, please visit the Timberland Web site at www.trlib.org or contact your local Timberland library.

Timberland Regional Library serves the information, reading and lifelong learning needs of the Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston county public at 27 community libraries and 7 library service partnership locations. The library system is funded by local property taxes. For information on any subject, the public can telephone Timberland’s Central Reference Service librarians at 704-INFO (704-4636) in the Olympia area or 1-800-562-6022, toll-free, from all other areas. Or they can "Ask a Librarian" online at www.trlib.org. Anyone needing special accommodations to participate in a library’s program may contact the library a week in advance.