The Stanly County Public Library is getting ready for its annual summer reading program.

This year’s theme is “A Universe of Stories!” and events will be conducted practically every weekday throughout June and July. The programs are all free to the public.

“The ultimate goal is just to be able to offer free activities to the community and to keep the kids engaged in reading,” said Sara Hahn, Albemarle children’s librarian, who set up the summer reading program and all of the events.

“The library is the cornerstone of the community,” Hahn said, “and so we’re trying to offer things to all of the children in the community.”

The Summer Reading Blast Off Event will be at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center at 10 a.m. June 10. Magician Steve Somers will entertain the children with magic, music and stories.

Registration for the reading program begins June 3 at any of the five library branches. Once children are registered, they will receive a reading record and a bookmark.

As the children (ages 4-12) read their books, they should write the titles on their reading record for a chance to enter into a raffle to win prizes.

Easy books and Beginner Readers (E) are worth one point and all other books are worth three points.

Children can bring their reading record to the library. Ten points will earn one raffle tickets, 25 points will earn another raffle ticket and 40 points will earn a third raffle ticket.

If children fill up their reading record, they can receive additional sheets at the library.

The deadline for turning in the raffle tickets to any of the branches is July 31.

Raffle tickets will also be awarded to teen students (ages 13 to 19) as well. Four hundred pages read will earn them one raffle ticket, 800 pages read will earn another raffle ticket and 1,200 pages will earn a third ticket.

The deadline for turning in the raffle tickets to any of the branches is 2 p.m. July 26.

Prizes will include books, DVDs, Lego kits and food gift cards, Hahn said. The prizes will be awarded Aug. 1.

Teenagers are also invited to participate in the Teen Video Challenge, where they must create a video with their unique interpretation of the “A Universe of Stories!” slogan. Entries should be 30 to 90 seconds in length and emailed to shahn@stanlycountylibrary.org with the subject heading: “Teen Video Contest—A Universe of Stories!”

The daily events will be at each of the five branches (Albemarle, Badin, Locust, Oakboro and Norwood).

The summer events include: children learning how to make musical instruments from household items; meeting the Chick-fil-A cow and learning facts about cows; 30-minute story time for ages 4 and up; 20-minute story time for babies through age 3; designing and painting moon rocks; learning about safe space; learning about and creating constellations; and visiting the library’s StarLab Planetarium.

A calendar of all the events can be found at any of the branch libraries.

Parents and children can choose a time to visit the StarLab to take a virtual trip to outer space. Showings will be at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. July 16-18 in the meeting room at the Albemarle library.

Space is limited. Parents can call ahead for group reservations.

There will also be movies shown at 10 a.m. each Friday at the Albemarle library.

For more about the reading program or any of the events, call 704-986-3758.