There's something special about the library in summertime. The moment you walk through the doors, you can feel it. Children hurry through the aisles with books tucked under their arms. Parents, grandparents and caregivers help little ones choose "just one more" story before heading home. Community members gather for performances, crafts and hands-on activities, while families discover new adventures together.
Summer is a season of possibility, and libraries have a way of turning that possibility into discovery. Every book opens a new world where children can dig for dinosaur fossils, explore the rainforest, soar through outer space or meet a dragon at the turn of a page. Reading sparks curiosity, fuels imagination and builds skills that last a lifetime. At BCLS, those adventures extend far beyond our shelves.
Children can travel the world through LOTE4Kids, our digital collection of picture books in more than 100 languages. Whether a family speaks Bengali, Lithuanian, American Sign Language or another language at home, children can enjoy stories read by native speakers, with options for English narration or bilingual reading. With more than 7,800 stories and new titles added regularly, every child can experience the magic of hearing stories in the language that feels most like home. Creativebug inspires budding artists with thousands of online art and craft classes. Families can paint, draw, sew, sculpt and create together, transforming an ordinary afternoon into something memorable. For screen-free fun, WhaZoodle devices offer stories, songs, podcasts, guided relaxation and active play prompts for children ages five and up. These portable audio players encourage kids to listen, imagine and learn wherever they go.
Of course, some of summer's biggest adventures happen at the library itself. This year's Summer at the Library lineup is filled with performances that spark laughter, curiosity and wonder. Magician Steve Woyce unearths magic with dinosaurs, comedy and lots of audience participation while storyteller Conrad Cologne's Dig Into Magic reminds children that the greatest magic of all is found inside the pages of a book. Be sure to check out our event listings all summer long and beyond!
When the programs end, the adventure continues at home with books like Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land by Mirelle Ortega, Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses by James Dean and The Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole.
The true magic of the library isn't found in magic tricks or mythical creatures — it's found in the moments they inspire: a child discovering a favorite book, a grandparent sharing a beloved story or a family laughing together during a performance. Every page turned builds confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of reading. Whether you're borrowing books, listening to stories in your family's language, creating a craft, exploring a WhaZoodle or attending a family event, there's always something waiting to spark a child's imagination. Because every magical adventure begins with a story — and so many wonderful stories begin at the library.
