The Ruth Enlow Library is pleased to announce the launch of Summer Reading Club 2026 “Unearth a Story”. Events are kicking off with a ‘Mr. Mike the Dinosaur Guy” program presented by Mike Sgrignoli. We invite you to join us for a “Dino Chat” where Mr. Mike shares lesser known facts about the ancient creatures everyone already knows and introduces fascinating beasts that rarely take center stage. Then get ready for the “Dinorific Scientific Name Game”, an interactive game show – 270 million years in the making! Contestants are challenged to tell the difference between a REAL dinosaur name and one that Mr. Mike made up. It’s a performance full of fun dino facts and original dino music! Two performances of “Mr. Mike the Dinosaur Guy” will be held on Monday, June 22: the first at the Main (Oakland) Library at 10:30 a.m. and the second at the Grantsville Library at 2:00 p.m. This event is free and open to all Summer Reading Club participants.
A series of fun-filled programs and events celebrating the joy of discovery through reading, shared stories, and community is scheduled throughout the summer at all local Ruth Enlow Library branches. Participants will have the opportunity to “Adopt a Dino” with HART For Animals, explore New Germany State Park during a “Nature Walk with Ranger Noah”, discover the amazing world of raptors with All Earth Eco Tours, journey to the age of dinosaurs during a “Jurassic Science Lab” with the University of Maryland Extension, and attend an array of other exciting and educational events! All programs are free, and children choose their own reading materials and track their progress using reading logs provided in the programming brochure. Children can participate in Summer Reading Club by completing the Reading Challenge to earn prizes and/or by attending events.
Participants must sign up online at www.relib.net/src-signup or in-person at any library location. After completing the sign-up, each child needs to be registered for the individual programs they plan to attend. This can be accomplished by visiting our Summer Reading Club page at www.relib.net/src or our Calendar at relib.librarymarket.com. Programming schedules and reading logs are available for pickup at all Ruth Enlow Library locations. These materials can also be accessed online by visiting www.relib.net/events-programs/src-resources. Any questions can be answered by calling your local library branch or emailing the following contacts: julie@relib.net for Oakland, maya@relib.net for Accident, ryan@relib.net for Grantsville, melissa@relib.net for Friendsville, and diane@relib.net for Kitzmiller.
“Summer Reading Club helps stop the ‘summer slide’ – a documented two-month loss in learning over the summer break – by encouraging students to read about topics that interest them in the format that they enjoy most, including graphic novels,” said Julie Iden, Programming Supervisor at the Main Library, Oakland. “Motivating children to read over the summer helps bridge the gap in learning between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next one.”
Summer Reading Club is a cooperative project between the local Maryland public libraries and the Maryland State Department of Education. The state is also a member of the Collaborative Summer Library Program, a grassroots consortium of states working together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children at the lowest cost possible for their public libraries.
The Friends of the Ruth Enlow Library contribute significant funds toward the library’s summer reading program, while local organizations and businesses provide support with incentives. Statewide, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, and the Baltimore Orioles contribute tickets and passes to participating libraries.
Funding for “Mr. Mike the Dinosaur Guy”, presented by Mike Sgrignoli, is provided by Western Maryland Regional Library, the regional resource center for the public libraries of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties.
The Ruth Enlow Library serves the residents of Garrett County, Maryland, with branches in Oakland, Accident, Friendsville, Grantsville, and Kitzmiller. The library provides access to a wide range of resources, including books, digital media, educational programs, and community services.
For more information about Summer Reading Club and other library events, visit www.relib.net or contact your local branch.
