Perry County library plans packed summer of reading and family events

A summer calendar built for school-break needs

Perry County families looking for a free place to anchor the week have one in the library system. Perry County Public Library’s summer lineup runs from late May into mid-July, with reading programs for children, teens and adults, plus short events that make it easier to plan around work, camps and rainy days.

The biggest draws are the two long-running summer reading programs: the Children’s & Young Adult Summer Reading Program runs from May 26 through July 17, and Summer Reading Bingo for adults 18 and older runs from May 26 through July 14. Together, they turn the library into more than a place to check out books. They give families a low-cost routine, and they give adults a reason to keep showing up while school is out.

What the summer program lineup does for each age group

The calendar is strongest when it matches the needs of different ages instead of trying to fit everyone into the same mold. Teens get their own space with Teen Tuesday in The Dungeon at the Tell City branch on June 9 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., a clear signal that older kids do not have to sit through programming meant for preschoolers.

Younger children have a pair of short, manageable storytimes. Wiggle Worms Storytime is set for June 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Preschool Pals Storytime! follows on June 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Those half-hour programs are the kind many parents can actually fit into a summer morning without turning the day upside down.

Adults are not an afterthought. Summer Reading Bingo gives readers 18 and older a simple way to keep a habit going through July 14, and Snacks & Chat Book Club! adds a more social option on June 11 from noon to 1 p.m. The same week also includes A Dose of Mycology with Brad Harth on June 10 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., which broadens the calendar beyond fiction and crafts and gives the library a place for science and local curiosity too.

The June stretch that parents will actually plan around

The mid-June calendar is packed enough to build a whole week around it, especially for families trying to break up the long stretch between school days and the end of summer. The events are short, varied and spaced through the day, which makes it easier to pick one stop or stack a few together.

• Teen Tuesday in The Dungeon, Tell City branch, June 9, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Wiggle Worms Storytime, June 10, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

• Junk Journaling, June 10, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

• A Dose of Mycology with Brad Harth, June 10, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• Snacks & Chat Book Club!, June 11, noon to 1 p.m.

• Patriotic Popsicles Craft Event, June 11, 4:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

• Preschool Pals Storytime!, June 12, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

That mix matters because it covers different kinds of summer downtime. A child can come for a storytime, a teen can go to a program built for them, and an adult can choose between a book discussion, a craft or a talk on mushrooms without leaving the county.

How Tell City and Cannelton differ

The Tell City branch and the Cannelton branch both stay active, but they serve the county in slightly different ways. Tell City, at 2328 Tell Street, carries the bulk of the youth-centered programming on the current calendar, including Teen Tuesday in The Dungeon and the storytimes that make it easier for families with younger children to keep a reading routine.

Cannelton, at 210 S. 8th Street, keeps western Perry County connected to the same library network with its own branch-based events. Mah-Jongg at the Cannelton Library! is listed for June 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and the calendar also points to Snacks & Chat Book Club! as part of the branch’s social programming. That difference gives Cannelton a steadier adult-and-conversation feel, while Tell City leans harder into kids, teens and hands-on activities.

The branch hours also shape how residents use each location. Tell City is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cannelton is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed Saturday and Sunday.

A library with deep local roots and wider reach

The summer schedule sits on top of a long county history. Perry County Public Library traces its roots to 1893, when 30 Tell City residents each contributed $3 to form the Tell City Library Association. The first true public library system in Tell City opened in 1905 under Superintendent Chris Newman, and the old Tell City Public Library opened in 1917 after a $10,000 Carnegie Corporation grant.

The system’s physical home has changed over time, but the service pattern has stayed familiar. The current Tell Street building opened in 2002, and the Perry County Bookmobile has served rural parts of the county since the early 1960s. It was formally integrated into the library in 1996, which helped extend access beyond the two branches.

The modern Perry County Public Library name dates to January 2012, after the merger with the Cannelton Library District. That change also brought the system into the Evergreen Indiana Consortium, giving patrons access to materials from more than 100 libraries statewide.

The 2026 board roster reflects that countywide structure. Patsy Alvey serves as president, Kim Luecke as vice-president, Pati Hoskins as treasurer, and Jane Goffinet as secretary. Board members are Sarah Duke, Brad Harth and Nick Weyer.

Plan around the holiday closure

One practical detail stands out for families making summer plans: the library lists July 4, 2026 as a holiday closure during the summer reading period. That falls right in the middle of the season, so anyone planning to pick up books, attend an event or check on a reading challenge should build around it.

For Perry County, the library’s summer calendar is not just a list of dates. It is a ready-made set of places to go, one branch for Tell City, one for Cannelton, and a countywide system that keeps children reading, teens occupied and adults coming back through mid-July.