Summer Reading in Bath is about to enter Full Swing

“A good book is a good friend”, and there’s no better time to spend with a good friend than the summer in the cool mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. And a great place to meet friends old and new, both people and books, is the Bath branch of the Rockbridge Regional Library. Rhonda Clayton, assistant branch manager shares with us their new hours that started in April, so keep those in mind when you go to sign up you or your family for summer reading, and learn all about other things that are offered in the months ahead.
“Our new library hours began in April. On Mondays and Wednesdays we’re open from 10 am until 6pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we’re open 12 until 8pm, and Fridays we’re open noon until 5pm, and Saturdays we’re open 10am until 5pm. And we’re closed on Sundays.”
So now it’s just one week away from the month-long fun summer activities.
“Summer reading begins on Monday June 22nd with our kick-off event, and our guest for that is Dylan Pritchard. He is a storyteller, and tours all around sharing folk tales with children and adults throughout the country. He’s been a full-time storyteller since 1990, and Dylan says that he enjoys bringing joy and hope to people from all walks of life. That event is going to be at 10:30 am and also again at 7 pm in Herter Hall at Garth Newel Music Center in Hot Springs.”
When asked the time frame for summer reading, Rhonda Clayton replied.
“We have a four-week program this year with “Get Jazzy”, “Classical Sonata”, ”Latin Moves“, and week four is “Country and Western Hoedown”.
So it should be a lot of fun for preschoolers through teenagers for those four weeks.”

Does the musical theme mean that participants need to read books by or about musicians or music?
“There are no specific books. Children are encouraged to read whatever they enjoy. It’s a great time for children to enjoy different types of books, to learn to enjoy different types of books without specific guidelines, and a good time for families to share reading out loud together as well as individual reading.”
Then on Thursday, July 16th at 7pm there will be another free event for residents of Bath and beyond to get out and enjoy some top-notch music, and maybe dance a little too.
The Revelers are coming to Bath County High School Auditorium. This is not a solitary folksinger on an acoustic guitar crooning children’s ballads (not that those aren’t great too!).
Ms. Clayton continued, “The Revelers include members from bands The Redstick Ramblers, the Pine Leaf Boys, They’re a Louisiana Cajun Band, so that’s going to be a lot of fun for people who enjoy music from all ages, and all walks of life. “
The end of Summer Reading event will be Thursday, July 23rd. This event takes place at the Bath Parks and Recreation Shelter. For more details as this gets closer, just call the library. Rhonda issues that invitation once again, going out to everyone who would like to take a little time with a book this summer.
“Sign up is ongoing. We have begun, and we’ll take sign up through out the summer reading events. So we’re looking forward to families and children enjoying the joy of reading with us here at the library.
Our events are sponsored by Friends of the Bath County Library”
All of the events, including the storyteller, Dylan Pritchard and the Revellers concert at the High School are free of charge.
For an upcoming story on the Bookmobile starting operation again, and other fine library programs please stay tuned to Allegheny Mountain Radio.