GeoMission
GeoMission is a name we created to describe an activity similar to “geocaching”. Geocaching is the activity of hunting for and finding a hidden object. We will give you detailed mission directions each week. We hope you will discover some of Middletown’s rich history and find places where you can express your voice.
Throughout the summer, beginning in June, there will be 6 little libraries placed throughout Middletown for you to find. The location of the box will change every two weeks, so you can only seek one box at a time. We will have bi-weekly GeoMission directions on our website and paper directions will also be available at the Borrowing desk.
- Sign your name in the notebook or click on the QR code to check in.
- Choose one special bead as your treasure.
- Place the box back in its original location for the next seeker to find.
- You may choose a book from the Little Library.
Every two weeks the GeoMission team will be hiding a Little Free Library for you to find.
Little Free Library
You may find as many little libraries as you wish, you do not need to find all six to participate. At the end of the summer you will be able to come to the library to create a keychain from the beads you collected, please only collect one bead at each location, so there will be enough for all participants.
Please respect each area you visit.
Find Your Voice - Summer Reading for Kids
This program is designed for ages birth – 12 and begins on June 1, 2023.
- Sign up at Russell Library or via the online form. Each child gets a game board.
- Reading for 15 minutes or completing an activity at the back of the game board = color in ONE square.
- 15 squares = 5 raffle tickets for prizes.
- 15 more squares = 5 more raffle tickets for prizes AND a bookplate with the kid’s name for their favorite circulating book.
Find Your Voice - Adult and Teen Summer Reading
Our Summer 2023 Find Your Voice Program is designed for patrons ages 12+ to encourage life-long reading habits and begins on June 1, 2023.
You can participate digitally through the ReadSquared app or website or you can go old school and log your reading on a paper tracker, available at our circulation desk.
Each book read earns points toward digital badges and enters you into random drawings for $20 Downtown Middletown Gift Cards. There will be 10 drawings throughout the summer beginning June 12th.
You can earn extra points by completing Missions on ReadSquared! Once you’ve earned enough points you’ll also receive a completion certificate you can print and share!
Teens can also win attendance prizes (books, games, etc) for attending library programs all summer long.
StoryWalk®
A StoryWalk® is a fun, educational activity that places a children’s story (literally a book taken apart) along a popular walking route in your community. Ours is at Crystal Lake in McCutcheon Park here in Middletown!
Directions to our storywalk: From Randolph Road (Route 155), turn south onto Millbrook Road. Follow Millbrook Road for 1.5 miles and take a right onto Livingston Road. After 0.2 miles, take the first right off Livingston Road into McCutcheon Park!
Click the icon for a link to the location of Crystal Lake Park in Google maps.
Acknowledgements
Funding for the Eco StoryWalk® Project was supplied by the Rockfall Foundation. To find out more about the work that the Rockfall Foundation does promoting and supporting environmental education and conservation in the Lower Connecticut River Valley check out their website.
Our summer program is made possible in part by Summer Enrichment Grant from the Connecticut State Library.
Many thanks to the Friends of Russell Library for funding our summer events. Learn more about the Friends and how you can help, too!
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
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Russell Library
123 Broad Street
Middletown CT 06457
Phone
860-347-2528
Events
Online Calendar
Library Hours
Mon-Thurs 9am-8pm
Fri-Sat 9am-5pm
Sunday 1-5pm (October-March)