By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on July 13, 2024.
asmith@medicinehatnews.com Looking to help get more people cracking open a new book this summer, the Medicine Hat Public Library is offering a new spin on their adult summer reading program. This year, the library is challenging readers to read multiple books within multiple themes, but the books themselves are left up to each individual participant. This “Bring Your Own Book” approach will run through four different themes over the course of the summer, with a list of title suggestions available for each. “Every two weeks starting July 4 we’re giving you a new theme,” said Miranda Leduc, adult and community librarian. “Every second Thursday we’ll meet for the Bring Your Own Book Club where we’ll talk about the different books we’ve all read.” The first theme, Into The Water, will run until July 18. “You can read any book that has anything to do with water. That includes books based around water, in water and near water – beaches, oceans, rivers and more,” said Leduc. The other themes are reading periods are as follows. • Into The Woods, July 18-Aug. 1; meeting 6:30 p.m. August 1. • Into The Mountains, August 1-15; meeting 6:30 p.m. August 15. • Into The Stars, August 15-29; meeting 6:30 p.m. August 29 Every book that participants read in each theme will allow them to submit a ballot for a grand prize draw at the end of summer. Ballots can be picked up and returned at the library information desk, or entered online. 15