Summer Reading Continues at Southgate Veterans Memorial Library

There’s still time to participate in this year’s Summer Reading Program, “Unearth A Story!” Read books, earn prizes and attend events for all ages. Everything is completely free, and getting started is easy – everyone can sign up at the library, while kids and teens can sign up online (use the link on our website Summer Reading page). The best time to join the fun was at the start of the program, but the second-best time is right now!


See What’s New

The library has books, movies, music, video games, tools and more, but we bet there are some things you don’t know about yet! We have built up several great new collections that we hope you’ll love.


• VOX & Wonderbooks

Our Read-Along collection is expanding! We now have both VOX Books and Wonderbooks! Both are physical books with their own audio players built in – all you have to do is push a button and start your adventure! You can follow along in the book or let it read to you through its speakers or your own pair of headphones.VOX Books are “books that talk”, and our collection of them has been growing steadily in the picture book section. We’ve even started adding in juvenile nonfiction and biographies so that you can listen and read about real people and events.

This format is a great way to get children interested in reading and improve their vocabulary. The more words they hear, the better their language skills will become. Even better, there is no screen involved! It’s a book, with that solid feel and that book paper smell.

We have also added Wonderbooks, which is a brand of Read-Alongs chock full of amazing chapter books! Our Wonderbooks are shelved at the beginning of our Juvenile Fiction section and can range anywhere from graphic novels to chapter books. Want to listen and read along to “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”? Or maybe “The War that Saved My Life”? We have got you covered!

• Yoto Players and Cards

Yoto players use cards to play music, read stories, teach about colors, numbers, shapes, and more. Some cards play trivia, some are choose-your-ownadventure stories, some teach you how to draw, or get you moving and grooving!

The library now has several players to borrow, which are easy to use – just a couple of buttons and knobs to control sound and move between stories, accessible to kids of almost all ages. We have dozens of cards to choose from as well, with offerings for every age. Come check them out, and join the Yoto fan club!


• Yard Games Collection

Our Library of Things includes numerous outdoor/yard games, perfect for summer get-togethers or just an afternoon of fun! In addition to our giant Connect Four, croquet sets, bocce ball, horseshoe set and others, we’ve recently added some new ones you may not have seen yet.


• KanJam

This is a frisbee throwing game where you and a partner work together to toss the frisbee into a can. One person throws, the other tries to deflect it in if the frisbee is off course (overshot, undershot, too high, too low, anytime it will miss). Manage to throw the frisbee directly through a slot at the front of the can, and you win immediately! The game is easy to transport, the cans are collapsible, everything is lightweight and fits in a carrying bag.


• Kubb

A possibly ancient lawn game that may have been enjoyed by the Vikings, Kubb is deceptively complex.

It’s all about tossing sticks to knock down your opponents’ blocks – topple all of them, and then the king, to achieve victory! Blocks move as they’re knocked down, changing the field with every round, so it takes skill and strategy to win!


• Molkky

Another throwing game (people just love throwing things!), Molkky originated in Finland in the mid1990s. There is one throwing pin and 12 numbered blocks, each worth the number of points written on it. Knock over one pin and get those points, knock over multiple pins and score asmmany points as pins you knocked over. The pins move as they’re knocked down, so the game spreads out over time. Get exactly 50 points to win, but go over, and you’re set back to 25!


• Yak and Yarn

Coming this fall, we're so excited to welcome you to Yak and Yarn! Fiber artists of all skill levels, join us for evenings of crafting, hanging out and chit chat. All fibers arts are welcome! Whether it's crochet, knitting, felting, sewing, spinning or weaving, this is a time for you to bring your works in progress to the library. Meetings are at 6 p.m., on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, beginning September 2. This is a drop-in event, so no registration is required. We can't wait to see you and your creations!