Although the final bell has rung for area schools and the sleepy days of summer are setting in, the Selma-Dallas County Public Library is taking no summer break. Beginning June 10, the library will offer various programs Monday through Friday that the whole family can enjoy.

Becky Nichols, library director, said she’s expecting a packed library this summer.

“This is a great time for the family to come together and enjoy a program at the library,” Nicholas said. “We especially want kids to become engaged with the library and books — we want them to know that reading is fun.”

Packed into the first week of the library’s “Imagination Summer” are magic shows, puppet shows, a petting zoo and Father’s Day craft. Each day, Nichols said, the library will offer a fun program that will engage children of all ages.

“Many of our programs — in fact all of them — are family friendly,” she said. “The large events on Mondays and Thursdays are perfect for a family outing.”

All programs and events are free of charge, Nichols said, and added that although she encourages everyone to become a library member and get a card; a library card is not mandatory to participate in Imagination Summer.

“When you walk through the door of the library we say ‘what can we do for you,’ not ‘do you have a library card,’” Nichols said. “This summer is about getting families together in a fun and educational atmosphere.”

To encourage children to stay engaged in reading although school isn’t in session, the library has incorporated a reading club into its summer program. A reading log can be found on the back of the Imagination Summer calendar (available at the library), with which children can log the books they read over the summer.

“Binding everything together is the reading club,” Nichols said. “Children take the log home and keep track of all the books they read. And for the avid reader, they may fill out two or three logs, which is great.”

Ideally, Nichols said she would like to see everyone that walks through the library’s doors leave with a stack full of books.

“We need to keep our children engaged and excited about learning,” she said. “Checkout is unlimited here. You can walk out of here with 30 books if you want to.”

For more information on Imagination Summer, visit www.selmalibrary.org. For groups with 10 children or more, a call-ahead reservation is asked.

“Everybody wants to have a good time this summer and this is a great way to do it and a free way to do it,” Nichols said. “We can’t wait to get started.”