By Jen Dunne, Principal Librarian for Children’s Services
Summer is in full swing all around town, and the library is no exception. To keep up with the return to active community life, we’re excited to announce extended hours, more seating and lots of great services to keep Moorestownians of all ages connected, reading and learning this summer.
First, the library is expanding weekday hours, opening additional evenings, and returning to traditional Summer Saturday hours. As of July 3, library hours are:
- Monday to Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (through Sept. 4)
In a welcome sign of a return to normalcy (and comfort), the soft chairs are back in place, and patrons can enjoy the expanded hours by choosing a book, magazine, e-book or digital audiobook and settling in for a leisurely reading session.
Of course for kids, a big part of summer is preparing for the new school year. Parents and students are hopeful for a return to a “normal” schedule this September. With the educational disruptions the pandemic has caused, many parents are concerned that kids have lost academic ground. The library has lots of great services to help students stave off the dreaded summer slide and prepare for a successful school year.
Here are a few:
- TrueFlix:
What it is: A digital collection of 170+ science and social studies books from Scholastic’s True Books series. Each nonfiction book features color photos and enhanced content including a “Read to Me” feature, short videos, quizzes, and games.
Who it’s for: Elementary and upper elementary students
How to get it: Visit MoorestownLibrary.org, click the “Online Learning” button, select TrueFlix, and enter your library card number. - Scholastic Teachables
What it is: A digital collection of 25,000+ educational resources including worksheets and puzzle pages in all subject areas.
Who it’s for: Students in preK — grade 8
How to get it: Visit MoorestownLibrary.org, click the “Online Learning” button, select Teachables and enter your library card number. - Museum Passes
What they are: Free passes you can reserve to take your family on a field trip to local attractions such as the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Museum of the American Revolution, UPenn’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and more.
Who they’re for: All ages
How to get them: Visit MoorestownLibrary.org and click the “Museum Passes” button. Follow the prompts to reserve with your library card. - BrainFuse HelpNow
What it is: Live 24/7 online tutoring, a writing lab, language lab, chess tutoring, summer study camp, diagnostic test center, and more.
Who it’s for: Elementary — college students & adult learners
How to get it: Click on the “Online Learning” button, select BrainFuse and enter your library card number.
Of course, no discussion of summer at the library is complete without Summer Reading. Summer Reading is back with programs that allow preschoolers and new readers to progress at their own pace and online programs for school-age kids, teens, and adults. Check it all out at MoorestownLibrary.org, or visit the library for more information.
