This is just a note of thanks to all who have helped make the New Ulm Summer Reading Program the best that we could in such a difficult situation this year.

First, thank you to the children, parents, and caregivers who graciously accepted that this year was going to have to be different compared to last year. I know it wasn’t easy to finally be able to come to the library only to have it be such a different experience. I appreciate your willingness to grab your books, movies, audiobooks, and your Take-it & Make-it crafts and coloring pages and enjoy these activities at home. I thank you for your enthusiasm for the new crafts each week.

Thank you to all who participated this year by filling out the Bingo Sheet , searching for book characters in the Downtown Scavenger Hunt, and writing a book review of one of your favorite reads this summer. It was so much fun to see what you had chosen to do to get to Bingo! I loved hearing about your adventures downtown looking for Clifford and Madeline and the rest of the characters. And I am so impressed with the range of ages of those who filled out book reviews. Some of the reviews were almost as exciting as the books themselves.

Thank you to all of you who stopped in to pick up your free book, stickers and temporary tattoos this summer. It is always fun to hear you decide on your free book each year. I love to hear how many books you already own, but also your excitement of finding something you’ve wanted that you just happened to find on the free shelf. It makes me smile to hear a gasp while you’re looking in the sticker basket because you found a sticker you love.

Second, I want to say a big thank you to our community partners this year. Thank you to the manager of McDonald’s who ordered our ice cream cone coupons. I had decided not to ask for donations this year since many businesses were shuttered during quarantine. Imagine my surprise when they delivered the coupons for you despite my decision.

Thank you to the Parks and Rec department for allowing us to put our story walk “Moo” by David LaRochelle up in Nehls Park for people to enjoy while out for a walk. Thank you to the lawn mowing crew who worked around the panels, and for those in the community who helped maintain the story walk by standing some panels upright after the storms.

Thank you to the generosity of our downtown businesses who agreed to be sites for the characters in our Scavenger Hunt. We appreciate the following businesses for their participation in the fun:

The Backerei, Book Shelves and Coffee Cups, Bumblelou, Frandsen Bank, KNUJ, Lola’s, New Ulm Community Market, Thimble Box Quilt Shop.

You made this summer so much better for our library patrons by giving them something familiar to do.

I want to thank all of the patrons who worked on our circulation goal this year by checking out materials from the library and the digital library. We almost made our goal of 30,000 items in just eight weeks. So, we will be purchasing the items that won the vote! Our birth through kindergarten age range overwhelming wanted to play with Magnetic Tiles, and our older elementary-aged kids are excited to be able to program Artie 3000! Those items will be waiting for you to use them here in the library as soon as we can spend some quality play time together again. The teens had a tie for their two choices so we’ll be making a decision about that purchase at a later date.

Last but not least, a thank you to the library staff here that goes along with, and follows through with, the crazy ideas that run around my brain each year for the summer reading program. They are always kind and supportive, no matter what.