With school days behind us and summer in full swing, many kids are off to summer camps jam-packed with outdoor games, crafts, and new friendships. But in Skaneateles there’s another kind of summer camp, one where the adventures happen in the pages of a book, the counselors are librarians, and the only requirement is an imagination: Welcome to Skaneateles Library, the ultimate summer hangout.

Where camps offer trails and cabins, the library provides seemingly endless shelves of books, each one unlocking a new adventure into the unknown. Emilia Delmonico, age eight, “loves that the library is peaceful.” In a season bursting with activities, the library is a place where children of all ages can slow down and let curiosity take the lead. Eight-year-old Molly Sandak says the library makes her feel “like I am in a whole new world, or inside the book.” As a child during summer, can you think of anything better?

For many book lovers, arriving at the library is like arriving at camp. There is excitement in the air. Madeline Grilli, age nine, is “always excited to see if there are new books!” Like camp counselors planning surprise activities, the librarians keep things fresh with new arrivals and “always have good reading recommendations.” (It’s yet another reason Madeline loves the library.) From fantasy to funny, mystery to magical, you can always count on the librarians to match readers with the right story.

 

JJ Grilli, age seven, prefers to keep cool on those sweltering days and “read on my couch in the summer,” while his sister Madeline curls up on the back deck. Molly Sandak covers all the bases, and loves “reading on my hammock, sitting against a tree, in a fort, and at the library.”

 

If you are looking for a summer full of adventure, friendship, and fun (without the bug bites), the Skaneateles Library has it all: peaceful, friendly vibes and programs for all ages. It’s the best kind of camp, one where the memories last long after the final chapter. (Oh, and it’s FREE!)

Looking for some new books to enjoy this summer? Here are a few our resident campers…er, readers, suggest:

JJ: The Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly series 

Madeline: EvenTown

Emilia: The Babysitter’s Club

Molly: The Penderwicks and Dork Diaries

James: Hatchet and The River