Written By Olena Riznyk
LUCAN – The Lucan branch of Middlesex County Library wrapped up a busy and successful summer filled with reading programs, family activities, and community partnerships. From preschoolers to seniors, hundreds of participants enjoyed opportunities that combined learning with fun and helped children maintain their literacy skills during the break.
Branch Supervisor Leigh Robinson explained the purpose behind the initiatives: “The goals of the Summer at the Library programs are to provide a fun platform for children to continue reading and maintain their literacy skills during their summer vacation. We hope to help the students avoid the ‘summer slide’ that can sometimes occur in their hard-won literacy skills.”
This year, Middlesex County Library offered four age-based programs. The youngest readers joined Read in Colour, with 258 children tracking their daily reading and working toward badges and rewards. Power Up at Your Library engaged 93 participants in Grades 5–8, while 16 teens in Grades 9–12 took part in the Teen Edition challenge for prizes including a camera and gift cards. Adults were also involved, with 143 readers registering and tracking their progress toward ballots for $100 gift cards.
Altogether, participants earned more than 1,400 ballots for prizes that ranged from art and sports kits to Bluetooth speakers and ice cream gift certificates. Robinson expressed gratitude to local partners: “The Lucan Library would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dairylovers and Domino’s Pizza for their community spirit and generous support of the Summer at the Library programs for our area children and youth.”
Beyond the reading programs, the library hosted more than 30 additional activities such as slime-making, scavenger hunts, preschool animal programs, and video game sessions. In July alone, the branch welcomed more than 2,300 visitors. Robinson emphasized the support of volunteers: “The Lucan Library staff couldn’t have kept up with the demand without the volunteer’s generous time and amazing help, and we would like to thank them for their assistance.”
The library also joined community celebrations on Canada Day at the Lucan Community Memorial Centre with a “Spot the Librarian” contest. The grand prize of a $100 Foodland gift card, sponsored by the Friends of the Lucan Library, went to Taylor Davison.
Reflecting on the season, Robinson highlighted the teamwork that made everything possible: “The incredible success of our Summer at the Library programs can definitely be attributed to our community working together. Between the schools and educators who provided promotion, the families who attended, the local businesses who sponsored, and the library team who facilitated the programs, it was completely a community collaboration.”
