A Summer of Reading and So Much More

"Summer Reading" has officially begun at Bernardsville Library with featured attractions for youngsters, teens, and adults. The summer months ahead will be filled with giveaways, reading challenges, exciting day and evening programming, story times around town and at the community pool, and even a pop-up Air and Space Museum coming in mid-July!

Register your children (they don't have to be members of the library) for the Build a Better World summer reading program that entitles them to loads of fun activities throughout the summer while challenging them to meet reading goals. Of course, there will be incentives and prizes awarded on a regular basis for those children who meet their goals.

Teens have their own online summer reading club where they can write short book reviews of books they've read. By doing so, they will be entered into a drawing for prizes, some of which will be gift cards from local stores. And we never forget our adult readers! They're invited to enter our adult summer reading contest. All they have to do is borrow at least three books or book CDs to enter their names for prizes, including the grand prize - a gift basket containing a Kindle Fire HD with Alexa. Time to get reading!

Summer Reading Fitness, It's A Thing

This year's summer reading campaign - "On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!" -  challenges us to exercise our minds and bodies for improved overall fitness. And it's not just for kids anymore!

Adults and youngsters are encouraged to step up their literary habits, pump up their healthy living practices, and exercise their right to claim fun prizes and rewards. Parents may sign up their children at the library beginning the week of June 20th. The kids will receive reading logs and flyers about the summer programs ahead and be eligible to participate in exciting activities such as the upcoming Bouncy House event.  And there will be great prizes! Refer to this website page for ongoing information about upcoming events for children.

In addition, we're doing the heavy lifting for adults who are encouraged to beef up their reading habits during the summer months. Adults will be offered a chance to enter a drawing for prizes each time they check out three or more books or book CDs. This year, three fabulous prizes will be awarded to adult participants at the end of the summer, with the top prize being a Fitbit. Need reading ideas? Look for our book displays throughout the library promoting the theme of reading fitness and get inspired. Now, on your mark!

September Selfies for Library Card Sign-Up Month!

While libraries are observing Library Card Sign-Up Month in September, Bernardsville Library will celebrate its members by affording them a fun social media opportunity. New card holders and those who already have a Bernardsville Library card are invited to get "framed" by holding up the special "I Got Carded At Bernardsville Library" picture frame and snapping a selfie. What better way to show one's pride in being a card-carrying member of the greatest free institution of learning, enrichment, and enjoyment - the public library!

In addition to photos of themselves, patrons may take pictures of their friends or children getting carded, too.  Subsequent options are for patrons to keep the selfies in their own albums, to post these photos on their social media networks with the hashtag #BernardsvilleLibrary, or to email selfies to us for library publicity purposes. We hope to see lots of them circulating soon as we increase our membership numbers!