We have a lot to celebrate this spring. First of all, there’s the ever-widening availability of COVID-19 vaccines to those who want them. As of this writing, the state has made the vaccine available to people 50 and over, and Orange County has taken the additional step of offering the vaccine to anyone 40 or over at the Orange County Convention Center. Our South Trail Branch is currently serving as a vaccine site, in partnership with the state Department of Emergency Management, and anyone who meets the current state requirements for vaccination can come to the branch and get a vaccine with no appointment necessary. The vaccines, being administered by Curative, are available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or until supplies run out. Visit ocfl.net/vaccine for more information.
Another reason to celebrate: Registration opens on April 1 for our annual Summer Reading Program. Although our events and programs are virtual this year, we have a schedule packed full of fun, educational events for early learners, kids, teens and even adults. Don’t miss out – get online and sign up for our virtual camps and classes before they fill up! At the end of summer, we’ll be giving away some great prizes to kids who’ve completed our reading challenges and spent their summers with us – we want to thank our friends at Window World of Central Florida for donating so many great prizes to make this Summer Reading Program extra special!
We’re also celebrating the fact that National Library Week takes place April 4–10, and we’re launching into that week with the Orlando Book Festival. This year the festival has gone virtual, and we’ll have author talks, writing discussions, workshops and more, available online. We’re excited to have author Angie Thomas, author of bestseller The Hate U Give, as our opening keynote speaker this year. You can visit ocls.info/obf for a schedule of events and more information.
We’re also want to give a big thank you to our friends at WonderWorks, who’ve donated tickets to their attraction for those who sign up for a library card during National Library Week. If your library card is about to expire, or if you have a friend or family member who doesn’t have a card, stop by a library location or fill out an application online and get one today. You’ll get one free ticket to WonderWorks for your effort, and you’ll also get access to an incredible array of events, classes, research tools, books, movies and more.
