Join us at the Mason City Public Library this summer for our summer library challenge, Plant a Seed, Read! There will be events for all ages, including crafts, contests, and visits from some people idk. Everyone who finishes a challenge log is entered to win a grand prize and new this year: register the whole family and be entered to win a family prize! It will seven weeks of library fun and best of all, everything is free!
Stop in to the library to pick up a challenge log or print your own right from this page!
Family Prize: Any family with one parent or guardian and at least one child enrolled in the Summer Reading Program can enter a drawing for a picnic basket, blanket, outdoor toys and a gift card from Hy-Vee!
Children's Program
Family LEGO Club: 6/1 @ 2-6pm - MCPL Foundation Room: Drop by the MCPL Foundation Room to try your hand at a LEGO Challenge, collab with your friends and family, and have fun! Ages 6 & up.
Sunshine Storytime: 6/2, 6/24, 7/1, 7/8 - MCPL Lawn: Join us on the MCPL lawn for stories, songs, movement, early literacy tips, bubbles, and tons of fun! Bring a blanket to sit on, sunscreen, and bug spray! This event will be canceled in case of rain or extreme heat. Ages 5 & under.
MCPL @ the Mason City Farmers Market: 6/6, 7/11, & 8/22 @ 10:30am: Join us at the Mason City Farmers Market for a short storytime, bubbles, and fun!
Incredible Bats: 6/10 @ 1pm & 1pm - MC Room: Join Kim White as she tells us about these fascinating and important creatures and meet some of her bat friends! These events are geared towards ages 5 and up.
Mindfulness with Sound Storytime: 6/15 @ 1-2pm - MC Room: Join Polina S. and MCPL staff for a mindful sound exploration in a storytime format. This event is geared toward ages 4-11.
Lime Creek Family Event: 6/17 @ 3-6pm - MC Room: Get ready to dig into the amazing world of plants with Lime Creek! Stop by different interactive stations to learn more about seeds, plants, and pollinators. Families can discover the different parts of a seed, how plants grow, and the importance of pollinators through hands-on activities! This event is best for ages 11 & under and their families.
A Dinosaur is Loose in the Library! with author Kelly Crull: 6/29 @ 4pm - MC Room: Join author and Iowa native Kelly Crull for A Dinosaur is Loose in the Library, based on his National Geographic Kids book, The Chick-o-saurus. This interactive program includes a lively read-aloud, a guest appearance from the Chick-o-saurus, a fossil-digging station, a hatch-your-own dinosaur craft, free giveaways, and a book signing. Best for ages 5-10.
Scavenger Hunts:
Opening Scavenger Hunt: 5/26 - 6/6, All Week, YS Dept.: Stop by the MCPL Youth Services desk to participate in a fun summer-themed scavenger hunt. Find the items and win a prize! While you're here, make sure to pick up a Summer Library Challenge log. Ages 18 & under.
Closing Scavenger Hunt: 7/6 - 711 - All Week, YS Dept.: Stop by the MCPL Youth Services desk to participate in a fun scavenger hunt. Find the items and win a prize! While you're here, return your completed Summer Library Challenge log. Ages 18 & under.
Kid's Week-long Craft Stations:
Kids Field Journal Craft Station: 6/1 - 6/6, All Week - Children's Room
Kids Bat Craft Stations: 6/9 - 6/14, All Week - Children's Room
Kids Mindfulness Craft Stations: 6/15 - 6/21, All Week - Children's Room
Kids Summerween Craft/Activity Stations: 6/22 - 6/27, All Week - Children's Room
Tween Program
MG Graphic Novel Club: 6/8 & 7/6 - MCPL Foundation Room: Join us for our first Tween Graphic Novel Book Club! We will read and discuss The Animorphs: The Invasion by Katherine Applegate. Physical copies will be available to check out at the first meeting on June 8th, and you can also read this book on Hoopla. We will have discussions, crafts, activities, and snacks! These events are appropriate for ages 8-12.
Lime Creek Presents: Leave No Trace: 6/16 @ 1-2:30pm - MCPL Foundation Room: A lesson about making choices that tread lightly on the land. Ages 9 - 18
Tween Summerween Event: 6/24 @ 1-2:30pm - MCPL Foundation Room: Come celebrate Summerween! Spooky crafts, snacks, vibes. Costumes encouraged!
Tween Emotional Support Chickens: 7/1 @ 1-2:30pm - MCPL Foundation Room: Join us and make your own felt feathered friend!
Tween Pizza Party: 7/8 @ 1-3pm - MC Room: Celebrate the end of the challenge with us and make your own pizza!
Scavenger Hunts:
Opening Scavenger Hunt: 5/26 - 6/6, All Week, YS Dept.: Stop by the MCPL Youth Services desk to participate in a fun summer-themed scavenger hunt. Find the items and win a prize! While you're here, make sure to pick up a Summer Library Challenge log. Ages 18 & under.
Closing Scavenger Hunt: 7/6 - 711 - All Week, YS Dept.: Stop by the MCPL Youth Services desk to participate in a fun scavenger hunt. Find the items and win a prize! While you're here, return your completed Summer Library Challenge log. Ages 18 & under.
Week-long Craft Stations:
Sunprint Take & Make Station: 6/1 - 6/6, All Week - YA Area: Grab some sunprint paper and make some art!
DIY Pens Station: 6/8 - 6/13 - All Week - YA Area: Stop in any time during the week to make your own flower pen!
DIY Garden Flags Station: 6/15 - 6/20, All Week - YA Area: Design your own flag to hang in your garden!
DIY Garden Tags Station: 6/22 - 6/27, All Week - YA Area: Make some tags to keep track of what's in your garden!
Teen Program
Teen Garden in a Jar: 6/2 @ 1-2:30pm - MCPL Foundation Room
Lime Creek Teen Event: 6/16 @ 1-2:30pm - MCPL Foundation Room: A lesson about making choices that tread lightly on the land. Ages 9 - 18
Teen Summerween Event: 6/23 @ 1-2:30pm - MCPL Foundation Room: Come celebrate Summerween! Spooky crafts, snacks, vibes. Costumes encouraged!
Teen Emotional Support Chickens: 6/30 @ 1-2:30pm - MCPL Foundation Room: Join us and make your own felt feathered friend!
Teen Pizza Party: 7/9 @ 1-3pm - MC Room: Celebrate the end of the challenge with us and make your own pizza!
Scavenger Hunts:
Opening Scavenger Hunt: 5/26 - 6/6, All Week, YS Dept.: Stop by the MCPL Youth Services desk to participate in a fun summer-themed scavenger hunt. Find the items and win a prize! While you're here, make sure to pick up a Summer Library Challenge log. Ages 18 & under.
Closing Scavenger Hunt: 7/6 - 711 - All Week, YS Dept.: Stop by the MCPL Youth Services desk to participate in a fun scavenger hunt. Find the items and win a prize! While you're here, return your completed Summer Library Challenge log. Ages 18 & under.
Week-long Craft Stations:
Sunprint Take & Make Station: 6/1 - 6/6, All Week - YA: Grab some sunprint paper and make some art!
DIY Pens Station: 6/8 - 6/13 - All Week - YA: Stop in any time during the week to make your own flower pen!
DIY Garden Flags Station: 6/15 - 6/20, All Week - YA: Design your own flag to hang in your garden!
DIY Garden Tags Station: 6/22 - 6/27, All Week - YA: Make some tags to keep track of what's in your garden!
Adult Program
Special Showing of the musical 1776: 6/5 @ 11am-1pm - Commons
Lime Creek Nature Center Presentation - Native Plants: 6/18 @ 5:3 -6:30pm - Classroom
Guided Meditation Sound Bath with Polina Shumanova: 6/20 @ 3-4pm - Mason City Room: Bring a yoga mat, sleeping bag, or something else to stretch out on and prepare for a calming experience!
Plant Swap: 6/27 1-4pm - Mason City Room: Bring in extra houseplants or cuttings from your garden and trade them with other nature lovers. Bring plants, pots, and your love of growing things.
Prizes
Grand Prize - 9-inch Lenovo Tablet: Fill out your reading log (we’ll accept books, movies, audiobooks - anything checked out from the library or one of our databases) for a chance to win one of two tablets
Garden Tote: Complete and turn in a completed bingo card (one line across, down, or diagonal) for a chance to win a tote with garden tools, gloves, and other useful items
Garden Planning Journal: Write a review of something you check out from the library for a chance to win a journal to help plan your garden
Solar Lights: Complete the scavenger hunt for a chance to win a set of solar lights, June 29 - July 2!
