Book a summer 'vacation' at your local library

By MEGHAN KILGORE

Stuck on ideas for what to do this summer? Looking for something to do that the whole family can get involved in close to home? Vacation at your local library.

A library card can be a ticket to the best kind of vacation -- free, educational and fun. Most programs offered at the library are free and open to all age groups. You will have no problem finding something for every member of your family at the library.

What do we have, you ask? Well, you can learn a new skill, study up on subjects that interest you, discover local culture and history, read about faraway lands and customs, get lost in romantic exploits, or solve a mystery.

Here's a short list of Beaufort County Library's offerings:

Newest titles in books and audiobooks. Don't see a title you are looking for in the catalog? Request that the library order it or have it delivered from another branch in SCLENDS.

These are just a few of the offerings that Beaufort County Library has available. This year, vacation with your library and open a whole new world for yourself and your family. Meghan Kilgore is the reference librarian at St. Helena Island library.

Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/2014/06/21/3172902/book-a-summer-vacation-at-your.html#storylink=cpy

Get the whole family involved in the Summer Reading Program, which is going on through July 18. There are programs for Little Ones (0-3), Children (4-10), Teens (11-17) and Adults (18 and older). You can register at your local branch or online at www.beaufortcountylibrary.org.

Don't forget about our book clubs. We have adult book clubs in Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and St. Helena Island. Bluffton also has a children's book club. Check out the library's website or check the seasonal newsletter to see what each branch offers and book club meeting times.

Have family movie nights during the summer. Check out up to five DVDs at a time and make a weekend of it. Popcorn not included, sorry.

Catch a movie at your library. The Beaufort library has movies at 1:30 p.m. every second Saturday of the month, and St. Helena has them at 1 p.m. every first Saturday of the month. Bluffton has a weekly viewing and discussion of the Netflix series "House of Cards" at 3 p.m. every Thursday through July. Bluffton also has an African-American Film Study Club every first and fourth Wednesday of each month.

Yes, we even have music. Check out a CD of your favorite artist or discover a new sound. Music is always needed for summer parties and get togethers.

All branches have computers for your use. You can cruise the Internet and check your email, work on updating that resume, and apply for jobs.

Get your geek on at the Bluffton library with Science Mondays at 3 p.m. every other Monday through July 14. You can join in discussions and learn about cutting-edge scientific discoveries.

The library has access to Ancestry.com, so why not learn about your ancestors as a family summer project? You can also join the Bluffton Genealogy Group, which meets from 2 to 4 p.m. every Thursday at the Bluffton library.

Each branch offers a variety of programs during the summer months, as well as throughout the year. One example is the St. Helena Cooking Club, which meets every third Wednesday of the month.

Learn a new craft with St. Helena's First Friday Craft Hour at 3 p.m. every first Friday of the month or join Bluffton's Rug Hooking Group from 1 to 3 p.m. every second Saturday of the month.