102 W 3rd St, Sterling, IL 61081 ∙ (815) 625-1370
Monday - Tuesday: 9AM–8PM ∙ Wednesday - Friday: 9AM–5PM 
Sat: 9AM-1PM    ∙    Sun: Closed

Summer Reading Programs 2023

The Sterling Public Library will have programs for all ages this summer! Click the one you're interested in to read about them.
The age groupings are suggested; if you or your child fall close to the edge of a range, you may choose the program you feel fits the best. 

Children's (Birth - 5th grade)

Teen (6th - 12th grade)

Adult

 

 Children:

The theme for the Summer Reading Program this year is "Find Your Voice!" The reading program runs from June 1 to July 31, and our weekly events will start on June 5 and end on July 28. You can register in person at the library at the children's desk. If you are unable to come into the library, please give us a call, and we will help you sign up remotely.

Children will receive a book when they sign up and when they complete their summer reading goal. This year children get to set their own reading goal! We are hoping this allows for flexibility and customization for each unique reader in our community. If you have any questions, please call the library or email Abbigail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Weekly Summer Programs for Children*

  • Mondays at 10-10:30am - Toddler Time (babies 0-2 years old)
  • Mondays at 11-11:45am - Summer Storytime (preschool through second grade)
  • Tuesdays at 5pm (end time varies) - Family Night (all ages)
    • June 6 - Planting flowers for the library
    • June 13 - Discovery Center Planetarium (registration optional)**
    • June 20 - Lego Club After Dark
    • June 27 - Therapy Dogs and Stuffed Animal Vet Clinic
    • July 11 - Go Go Gadget Open House
    • July 18 - Very Musical Storytime
    • July 25 - Donut Party
  • Thursdays at 2-3pm - Library Lawn Days (all ages, but some activities are best for older elementary patrons)
  • Fridays at 2-3pm - First Chapter Friday (aimed at third through fifth grade, but other ages are welcome)

*For more information about our weekly programs, please visit our program calendar!

**The Planetarium is the only program during the summer that has registration, and it is optional. This is because there is a cap at 30 patrons per session. We will have 2 sessions (5pm and 5:45pm). If you would like to guarantee your spot, please call or visit the library to sign up for this optional registration.

End of the Summer Party! -- Saturday, July 29, from 9am-12:30pm -- We will have a magic show from 11-11:45am, cotton candy from 11am-1pm (while supplies last), and outdoor games! Join us to celebrate participating in the summer reading program at the Sterling Public Library. This program is open to all ages. 

Tips to know about the Summer Reading Program for Kids!

1) There is no deadline to sign up for the Summer Reading Program! Whether you start tracking books on June 1 or wait until the middle of July, all patrons are welcome to sign up anytime between June 1 and July 31.

2) Patrons do not need a library card to sign up for the Summer Reading Program or to attend the weekly programs.

Please feel free to complete this survey after participating in the Summer Reading Program. We will also have paper copies of this survey available at the children's desk all summer long. Thank you for your feedback!

Teens:

For the reading part of the program, teens may pick up a BINGO card at the Adult circulation desk. Teens should read books that fit the criteria in the squares and bring the card in to get it initialed by a librarian. Once they have a BINGO, they can collect a prize and fill out an entry for the grand prize. For each additional BINGO they complete, they can fill out another entry. 

Here are a list of teen only programs available this summer. Check our program calender here on our website for more info about each one.  Or contact Beth at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Tuesday, 6/13, 5:30-7:30 – Board Games 
Monday, 6/19, 5:30 – Make a Book Safe 
Monday, 7/3, 5:30 – Make personalized buttons 
Tuesday, 7/11, 5:30-7:30 – Board Games 
Monday, 7/17, 5:30 – Make a Stress Ball 
Friday, 8/11, 5-10pm – After hours fun! 

 

 Adult:

Book Bingo June 1-July 31. Pick up an adult bingo card at any time during the program at the adult desk. Read books matching the criteria in the bingo squares and bring them into the library for a librarian to initial it. You can collect a prize for your first bingo. Every bingo after that enters you into a grand prize drawing. The prize will be drawn at the end of the summer.

Selfie Scavenger Hunt June 1-July 31. Pick up a scavenger hunt list and explore the library. Show a librarian the selfies you've taken and they will initial them. For every 10 selfies you collect you get entered into a prize drawing at the end of the summer. You also get a small prize for the first 10 you collect. Bonus: if you post one of the selfies on social media and tag the library you get another entry into the drawing.

Intro to Spanish Classes every Thursday and Friday from 1 pm to 3 pm between June 15 through July 21. Registration is required and the charge is $20 for the entire 6 week course. Register here.

Make a Book Safe Saturday, July 1, 10am. Join Beth to make your own Book Safe! These are a unique hiding space in plain sight! The library will provide old books to use, or you can bring your own. We will be using utility knives to cut the pages, so BE CAREFUL!  This program is open to adults, but you may bring your older children to participate. 

Reading Roulette is Monday, 7/10, 5 pm - 7 pm. Read, Rate, Repeat. Read a book for 5 minutes, rate it between 0-5 stars, and then repeat.

5 Star Reads is  Saturday, 7/8, 11:30 am - 12: 30 pm. Don't get to talk about your new favorite book enough? This is the place to geek out about it. Tell the group about your newest 5 star read or your oldest one. We just want to hear about 5 star reads. We want to hear about all of them, from everyone.