(Facebook/Melfort Public Library)

By Angie Rolheiser

Fun with reading

Library expands program offering while remaining distant

Jan 21, 2021 | 11:29 AM

The staff at the Melfort Public Library are doing what they can to offer programming while in-person events are not possible.

Head Librarian Penny Markland said they are having some fun at the library based on the video game Among Us with school-aged children.

“Anytime they borrow one or two items from the library they can move on the board and accomplish tasks and win some Among Us swag,” Markland said.

The video game has gained popularity with children and adults alike so the staff wanted to take advantage of that in hopes of filling the void of not having large groups come in for different events on a regular basis.

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Completing the board will depend on tasks within the game.

“”If they get a task in navigation and then the next task is in the reactor, it will take a while to get there,” Markland said. “It is a bit of a secret how we tell how many moves each person gets to make.”

In Among Us, crew members can be sabotaged or tagged by the impostor which the library have also incorporated so it may not be just a straight line to complete the board.

The Storytime program has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with larger themed programs throughout the year.

“We are thinking outside of the box and want to still engage kids in things they like,” Markland said. “Borrow books, make your moves, and off you go, so it is very safe.”

Grab and go crafts have been a huge hit according to Markland and those will begin again with some valentine’s crafts and more in the upcoming months as well.

Jan. 27 is family Literacy Day and the theme is travel around the world.

“In previous years, we have done fort nights where we make forts in the library and read in it so this year it is fort night at home,” Markland said.

The kits include books, glow sticks, and activities. Participants are encouraged to take a picture of their fort at home and send it into the library through social media, on Facebook or Instagram.

Bookopoly is another program happening for adults until March 17.

“We have a very monopoly looking type board for this,” Markland said. “Roll the dice where you land on different genres of books so depending where you land, you borrow a book from that genre.”

Books that are on display for Bookolopy have ‘lucky bucks’ inside them. Patrons can collect as many lucky bucks as possible for entries into a draw for a $100 Coop gift card and 1,000 piece puzzles.

The regular online book club will be on hold during Bookopoly to encourage members to take part.

“We will talk about the favourite books that were discovered during Bookopoly in the online book club,” Markland said.

The library is operating at full-time regular hours Monday to Saturday.

“We want people to know that we are open and we are here with fun things to do,” Markland said. “We are here with all of the regular stuff we have always had.”

Markland added the library has become more popular among parents looking for homeschool resources and it continues to be steady with regular library visitors as well.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser