Brookhaven Free Library will launch its summer reading program on Tuesday, June 30, with a dinosaur-themed event featuring Dinoman Dinosaurs.
The program, titled Unearth a Story, begins with a show from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the South Country Ambulance building, 420 Station Road in Bellport. The event is open to library cardholders, and registration is underway.
Dinoman will travel from its Vermont base to Long Island so that “everyone can examine fossils up close,” said Library Operations Manager Alexis Camarada.
Dinoman will also introduce inflatable dinosaurs and hands-on experiences. He may even ask for volunteers, she said.
Each year, Brookhaven launches its summer reading program with a different theme. Dinoman is tied to Unearth a Story, the national summer reading theme, which encourages exploration of dinosaurs, archaeology and paleontology.
The library’s website encourages children to follow dinosaur tracks and “take a trip throughout the Mesozoic Era with us and our friends from South Country Library.”
Although Dinoman is geared toward families and children, the summer reading program has no age limit. Starting the week of July 6, there will be weekly raffles for readers and a chance to win a grand prize, which has not yet been announced, Camarada said.
“It’s a great way to encourage literacy,” she said. Each participant is encouraged to read 20 minutes a day, a routine that could help children stay on track with their school summer reading assignments.
The library also plans to continue its outdoor summer movie nights. An end-of-summer party is scheduled for Aug. 14. For older children, “Jurassic Park” will be shown on Aug. 13, according to Camarada.
More information is available on the library’s website.