Holmes County library unveils June events, summer reading program

Holmes County District Public Library’s June calendar gives families a built-in slate of activities at the Central Library in Millersburg and the East Branch in Walnut Creek, with storytimes, interactive animal shows, crafting sessions and book clubs for children, teens and adults.

The summer reading program began June 1 and runs through July 25, giving children, teens and adults a reason to keep coming back to the library all season. The program’s May 29 kick-off at the Central Library, 3102 Glen Drive in Millersburg, ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and readers can track their progress through the summer for a chance to earn prizes.

For parents trying to stretch childcare and entertainment without leaving the county, the library’s mix of programming creates a practical weekly anchor. Storytimes fit preschoolers and caregivers, hands-on animal programs are designed to pull in families, crafts give school-age children and teens a creative outlet, and book clubs provide an easy way for adults to stay connected through reading.

The library serves a county of 44,223 people, according to the 2020 Census, through at least two branches: the Central Library in Millersburg and the East Branch at 4877 Olde Pump Street in Walnut Creek. That local footprint matters in a county spread across villages, farms and rural roads, where a trip to the library can replace a longer drive and still offer structured summer plans.

Holmes County District Public Library says its mission is to provide services that meet the community’s need to know, understand, manage and enjoy the world with freedom of thought. Its stated values include equal access for all, quality service, intellectual freedom and remaining competitive, a framework that helps explain why the June lineup is built for multiple ages rather than one group alone.

The library’s track record suggests those programs draw steady use. A prior social media post said nearly 350 children ages 2 to 12 enrolled in one summer reading program, and more than 400 children took part in related story times and programs.

Leadership at the library includes director Paula Cicconetti and head of children’s services Michele Skolmutch. The Holmes County Library Board of Trustees, which meets on the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Central Library meeting room, oversees the system on a volunteer basis with members appointed to four-year terms, underscoring the local network behind the June schedule.