The township library will host its second consecutive art contest for kids from 7 to 15 years old – along with its yearly reading program – beginning on Monday, June 29.
Submissions for the contest will be accepted until Sunday, Aug. 2, with the theme of dinosaurs. It’s the same theme that was chosen by the National Library Service for this year’s summer reading list.
There will be three contest categories: ages 7 to 9, 10 to 12 and 13 to 15. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place, with a $50 gift card to Maple Shade Arts & Drafting for first and two $25 gift cards to the same store for second and third.
All winners can have their art displayed at the library in September.
Katie Helf, a youth services librarian, said the facility has added prizes for second and third place so more contestants can win something. Last year’s contest theme was “Color our World,” and 24 kids submitted work.
“Color our world is art,” Helf explained. “All different types of art: paintings, sculpture, music, clothing design, fashion – all sorts of things relating to art. So we thought it would be cool to have an art contest. And it went so well last year, that I figured it would be cool to repeat it each year and give the kids a chance to do something creative over the summer.”
Winners will be chosen at the library on Tuesday, Aug. 4, after participants vote for their favorite pieces.
The reading program is for kids up to grade 12 and adults. The former are required to log their reading hours, while adults just record the books they’ve read. Everyone has a chance to enter raffles based on how many books they’ve read, with prizes like gift cards and an E-reader.
Katherine Grady, an adult services librarian, said the reading program – at least for adults – helps increase participation in various library programs.
“Last year we did a rainbow book cover mission,” she recalled, “and people really liked hunting down books in different colors.”
About 450 adults participated in that program.
