Summer can be a hectic time for parents and caretakers.

Whether they are responsible for one child or ten, it is tough to keep the little ones safe and entertained.

But, the Selma-Dallas County Public Library has two months of activities planned for children to take away some of that stress.

This summer, library executive director Becky Nichols said 4,000 children have already attended the library’s Sensational Selma Summer during its first month. When you consider that 5,500 kids took part last year, that is quite the bump in attendance in just one year.

Nichols said that along with keeping them safe and entertained, the planned activities give the children a chance to explore the library.

“The numbers are up, so we know we are doing good work and the people are responding to it,” Nichols said. “The plus, though, is that the kids are checking out books and are using this time to not only have fun, but also to read. They are coming with their families and checking out book after book”

And that might be the biggest benefit of all.

When children are let out of school, the last thing they plan to do over their summer break is learn. But the events at the library give them a chance to learn while also having fun.

This summer’s list of events at the library includes puppet shows, live animals, and arts and crafts sessions among other activities.

It takes months of planning and preparation for the library to pull of the annual summer of activities, and for that we thank Nichols and the entire staff at the library for their tireless work for our community.