We hosted our Summer Kickoff Block Party last Thursday at the library. The turnout was incredible, and we are so grateful to everyone who came out to party with us. Thank you to all our patrons, vendors, performers, and food trucks!

We hope to see you all again soon at our Summer Reading Program events through June and July. The theme for the 2025 Summer Reading Program is “Color Our World.”

New arts and crafts activities will be occurring every week. We have too many to list all of them, so here is a preview: • At 10 a.m., Monday, June 2, children’s book Illustrator Rich Davis will take us on a tour through the world of art. The rest of June’s big summer events will be on Wednesdays.

• The Science Museum of Oklahoma will be here to entertain and educate us at 10 a.m. on June 4.

• At 3 p.m., June 11, the Funky Monkey will perform an exciting magic act.

• Glow Circus will light up the library with impressive feats at 2 p.m. on June 18.

• Pawsitively Wild rounds out the month with cute animals at 12 p.m. and again at 2 p.m. on June 25.

During July, we will welcome Buckaroo Bart Taylor at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 11, and the folks from OKC Improv will perform at 2 p.m. on Monday, July 21.

There will be arts and craft activities throughout July, including a “hidden pictures” craft, comic book wallets, painting for teens, and origami.

We have a “water day” planned for the last Friday in July. Finally, the Summer Reading Program will wrap up with our Prize Day at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30.

Learn more about our services, events, and programs at the Jim Lucas Checotah Public Library at eols.org/checotah or follow us on Facebook.

Heath Allen is the library assistant for the Jim Lucas Checotah Public Library, a branch of the Eastern Oklahoma Library System. Contact him at hallen@eols.org.

Kids of all ages came out last Thursday to kick off summer at the local library. Checotah Art Guild had several booths from rock painting to art demonstrations and Selby Minner even played some blues with a band.