2026 Children’s Summer Reading Program
Saturday, June 20 – Saturday, August 1

Get ready to grow your reading garden!

Sign up for summer reading from June 15 – 19 to get a prize! Registration stays open through Saturday, July 11, so there’s still time to jump in and grow. Set your reading goal, dig into great books, and turn in your completed finisher slips for a FINISHER Prize bag full of goodies, pick out a FREE book, and get entered for a chance to win of our SPROUT-tacular Grand Prizes!

Finisher bags will be ready to harvest starting Monday, July 13.

SPROUT-tacular Grand Prizes
Summer Reading Program finishers can enter for a chance to win:

• $300 Meijer Gift Card + Plant Stuffy + Needoh
• $200 Meijer Gift Card + Plant Stuffy + Needoh
• $100 Meijer Gift Card + Plant Stuffy + Needoh
• Indoor Amusement Center + Plant Stuffy + Needoh
• Frederick Meijer Garden Membership + Plant Stuffy + Needoh
• John Ball Zoo Membership + Plant Stuffy + Needoh
  PLUS: SPROUT-TACULAR GRAND PRIZE PICKS you can enter for a chance to win!

Little Seeds, Big Stories: Watch Us Grow Kick-Off Party
Saturday, June 20 from 10 AM – NOON
(Outdoors – Weather Permitting) (All Ages)
Celebrate the kick-off of summer reading by signing up at our Kick-Off Party! Enjoy an inflatable bounce house, inflatable obstacle course, craft stations, air-brush tattoos, popsicles, popcorn, and more!

TUESDAYS

Nature Tales & Trails
Tuesdays @ 10 AM (Preschool – 5th Grade)
Explore, imagine, and create in the great outdoors! We’ll share stories, enjoy nature-based activities, and make fun crafts inspired by the world around us.
Special Event: Bugs, Books and Beyond with Don Newman on June 30 @ 10 AM!

Branching Out!
Tuesdays @ 2 PM (Middle School – High School)
Let your curiosity bloom! Teens/tweens are invited to dig into hands-on art, nature, gardening, and pollinator adventures with special guest presenters!

• Botanical Coaster Painting • June 23 @ 2 PM
  Put down roots in creativity and paint nature-inspired coasters that are sure to grow on you!
• Bloom & Brush: Botanical Watercolor Basics with Kristina Spitzner • June 30 @ 2 PM
  Learn how to paint vibrant flowers and leafy designs step-by-step, then leave with your own finished botanical masterpiece.
• Nature Close Up – Kalamazoo Nature Center • July 7 @ 2 PM
  Drop in for a wild experience featuring two LIVE animals, plus fun bio-facts and an up-close look.
• Clay Geode Art • July 14 @ 2 PM
  Get your hands dirty and watch your creativity bloom as you sculpt colorful geode-inspired art.
• Chula Vista Garden Club • July 21 @ 2 PM
  Sow some new skills and discover how gardens grow as you create something beautiful with the experts from Chula Vista Garden Club.
• Beekeeping with Abbott Farms • July 28 @ 2 PM
  Get the buzz on bees! Meet a local beekeeper and discover how honey bees run the hive, make honey, and help keep our world blooming.

WEDNESDAYS

Tiny Sprouts
Wednesdays @ 10 AM (Birth – 5 Years Old)
Perfect for our littlest learners! Explore nature through songs, sensory play, and simple activities designed to spark curiosity and connection.

Wild Wonders Wednesday
Wednesdays @ 2 PM (Preschool – 5th Grade)
Get ready for exciting presenters, interactive activities, and unforgettable experiences all centered around the wonders of nature.

• Magic By Thomas • June 24 @ 2 PM
  The show features a colorful fast-paced program of family friendly magic and laughs. Thomas specializes in close-up magic, parlor magic, stage illusions, and magic with puppets. 
  
• All About Bugs! • July 1 @ 2 PM
  Join us as we paint a cute bug-themed canvas featuring some of nature’s tiniest creatures. From bright butterflies to busy ladybugs, you’ll create your own masterpiece to take home while learning about the amazing insects that help our gardens grow.
• Movie Day – The Lorax • July 8 @ 2 PM
  © 2012 • Animated/Family/Adventure • 1h 26m • PG
  Join us for a fun family movie about a boy who learns the importance of caring for the world around him. Free popcorn included!
  NOTE: The library does not allow pillows or blankets.
• Wacky Foam Party with Joel Tacey • July 15 @ 2 PM
  Join Joel Tacey for an unforgettable foam party filled with music and dancing. Run, play, and burn off some energy as the foam flies. Be sure to wear clothes that can get wet and messy, and don’t forget a towel for afterward.
• Blake Harms, WOOD TV8 – Meteorologist • July 22 @ 2 PM
  Ever wonder how meteorologists predict the weather? Join Storm Team 8 meteorologist Blake Harms for a fun and fascinating presentation about weather, forecasting, and the science behind storms. Get ready to explore the world of weather and have your questions answered by a real meteorologist!
• Beekeeping with Abbott Farms • July 29 @ 2 PM
  Buzz into the fascinating world of bees! Join a local beekeeper to learn how honey bees live, work together, and play a vital role in pollinating the plants we depend on every day. Discover the inner workings of a hive, how honey is made, and what you can do to help protect these incredible insects. This educational presentation is perfect for curious minds of all ages!

Plots & Petals Book Club
Every Other Wednesdays @ 2 PM • (Middle School – High School)
June 24, July 8, and July 22
A blooming book club—bring what you’re reading, share your favorites, and watch new stories grow.

Ink & Ivy Writing Club 
Every Other Wednesdays @ 2 PM • (Middle School – High School)
July 1, July 15, and July 29
Where nature meets creative writing—fun prompts and challenges where ideas twist, climb, and grow.

THURSDAYS

Nature Makers Science Club
Thursdays @ 10 AM (Preschool – 5th Grade)
A perfect blend of creativity and curiosity! Experiment, craft, and explore your way through nature-themed projects designed for hands-on learning and discovery.

Nature Studio
Thursdays @ 2 PM (Middle School – High School)

• Painted Flower Pots • July 25 @ 2 PM
  Spruce up a plain flower pot and give your creativity a place to take root.
• Movie Day – The Secret Garden • July 2 @ 2 PM
  © 2020 • Family/Fantasy/Drama • 1h 40m • PG
  Explore a magical garden filled with wonder, friendship, and adventure. Free popcorn included!
  NOTE: The library does not allow pillows or blankets.
  
• Bird-feeder Art • July 9 @ 2 PM
  Scatter a little creativity and craft a feeder that’s sure to attract a flock of fans.
• Wood Wind Chimes • July 16 @ 2 PM
  Branch out with a handmade wind chime that brings a little garden music to the breeze.
• Cottagecore Rock Painting • July 23 @ 2 PM
  Unearth your artistic side and transform ordinary rocks into charming cottagecore creations.
• Metal Beaded Bookmarks • July 30 @ 2 PM
  Leaf your place in style with a custom bookmark that’s ready to grow your reading adventures.

DAILY

Sprout & Seek: Downtown Otsego Scavenger Hunt
June 20 – August 1 (All Ages)

Downtown Otsego is blooming for the Summer Reading Program! Local businesses and community organizations have different “sprouts” hidden in their windows, including flowers, fruits, and veggies. Pick up a list at the library and dig into this fun, garden themed scavenger hunt. Once you’ve gathered them all, return your sheet to the library and harvest a special prize!

Scholastic Book Fair (All Ages)
June 9 – 27 • DURING OPEN LIBRARY HOURS
Let your children and grandchildren select some fun summer reading materials to celebrate their accomplishments in school this past year and encourage a love of reading all summer long! The library earns 50% of the profits to use toward FREE books for the library’s collection and future programs.

Weekly Prize Drawing 
Attend programs and complete activities to earn weekly prize tickets. Kid’s activities for prizes will be in the Children’s Section and Teen/Tween trivia for prizes will be in the Teen Room.

SUMMER READING PROGRAM FLYERS

Kids Flyer Birth – 5th Grade

Teen/Tween Flyer  Middle School – High School

The Otsego District Library is now accepting bids from licensed and insured lawncare companies for the 2026 Mowing season.

• Spring Cleanup
• Mowing/trimming of all grounds biweekly May 1 (or once season begins – later is fine if not growing yet) – Oct 31.
• Grub Control and Weed Control in spring and fall

Please note, We are not turning on our irrigation system this summer.

Please, contact Andrea Estelle, Library Director, with questions. Bids can be submitted in person at the library or via email to aestelle@otsegolibrary.org

Bids accepted through Friday, April 13, 2026.

January 2 – March 31

Sign up to be part of the Read & Dine Adult Winter Reading Program this winter! Read ten books and you can enter a drawing to possibly win a Kindle Fire or a $25 gift card to a local restaurant. Reading logs are available at the circulation desk or at our drive-thru pickup window.

ALL Participants who finish reading 10 books will receive a cookbook (while supplies last).

Thank you to the Friends of the Library (Kindle and cookbooks) and local restaurants for sponsoring this program!

Please see above employment application and job posting information above. Applicants must apply for an open position using the method of application mentioned in the job posting descrtiption details. Paper applications are not accepted. The library only accepts applications when an open position is available. If you have applied in the past at Otsego District Library and are still interested in working for the library, please reapply by updating and resending your application packet! Each round of applications, we only consider the submitted applications.

ABOUT ODPL

The Otsego District Library serves 14,230 residents with a budget of $518,000 and a staff of fifteen. In 2009, a beautiful new 18,000 square foot, LEED-Silver Level building opened for service to the community. A dedicated library millage voted in perpetuity provides 75% of the library’s operating revenue. The library has a staff known for its commitment to outstanding customer service and a supportive board that is responsive to the community. Otsego is located in beautiful southwest Michigan, fifteen miles north of Kalamazoo, thirty miles south of Grand Rapids, and only forty minutes from Lake Michigan. The Otsego area offers affordable living, excellent schools, convenient shopping, and an outstanding quality of life.

Applying for a position as a high school student? Questions on how to write a first time resume when you are still in high school? Click HERE for a helpful link.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Equal Employment Opportunity is a fundamental principle at the Otsego District Public Library, where employment opportunities, development and advancement are based on job qualifications without discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, height, weight, familial status, marital status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

The Otsego District Public Library’s commitment to equal opportunity is applied to all personnel policies and practices, including but not limited to, recruitment and hiring, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, discipline, termination as well as social and recreational activities. The library will make reasonable accommodations for employees and job applicants with disabilities.

The library respects the diversity that exists within our community and among our employees and strives to maintain a workplace culture based on inclusiveness where respect, equity and positive recognition of differences are cultivated.

The Otsego District Public Library is officially a “Partner Library” in the Libby App! This is HUGE news!

Get more access with your Southwest Michigan Digital Library member library card! Borrow titles from any of these collections:

• Download Destination
• Great Lakes Digital Libraries
• Lakeland Digital Library
• Metro Net Library Consortium
• Midwest Collaborative for Library Services
• Suburban Library Cooperative
• Up North Digital Library Consortium
• Mideastern Michigan Digital Consortium
• White Pine Library Cooperative (Fuel Your Mind)
• Woodlands Downloadable Library
• St. Clair County Library System
• Genesee District Library
• Traverse Area District Library

What does this mean?
Libby partner libraries are libraries that allow users to borrow eBooks and audiobooks from each other using their home library card within the Libby app. This feature expands access to a wider collection of digital materials without needing separate accounts at each participating library.

How to find and add partner libraries in Libby?