Summer Reading Program: beginning June 15
We’ve got a full lineup of fun activities ready for young learners this summer. Programs will take place Thursday mornings at 11:00 am, with a bonus kick-off concert on Tuesday, June 16. These are all drop-in activities, with no registration required. Kids are also invited to sign up for our Summer Book Challenge, earning rewards for keeping up good reading habits over their summer break. Get your official reading log at the library.
June 16 Music with the Cerus Quartet, part of the GAAC Sound Garden project.
June 18 Hands-on learning activities with the Great Lakes Children’s Museum
June 25 Family Yoga with Amy White – bring a mat!
July 2 Learn about Dinosaurs & and their descendants – featuring live reptiles & amphibians!
July 9 Dino Builder workshop & Parade
July 16 Amazing magic with Jeff Wawrzaszek
July 23 Foam Party in our back yard – bring your towel!
July 30 Music with Matt Archibald, from the Bayliss Public Library
August 6 Art workshop with Leah Griffiths, art teacher at Glen Lake Community Schools
August 13 More Art fun with Leah Griffiths
Ode to Asparagus: June 6, 2:00 pm
Join us for another round of asparagus-themed verse, our contribution to the annual Empire Asparagus Festival. Submit your poems via email ([email protected]), snail mail (Glen Lake Library, PO Box 325, Empire, MI 49630), or simply drop it off at the library. Then, come recite your work at the Ode on June 6. All poems will be read, with an Audience Choice award given to the most inspired reading. Click here for last year’s harvest of poems.
Friends of the GLCL Book Sale: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Come peruse a great selection of gently used books, for readers of all ages and interests, and bargain priced. The sale will take place outside on the front plaza, during the Empire Asparagus Festival. More sale books are always available in the library on the Friends sale shelves. All proceeds help support library services. Donations of used books in good shape may be brought to the library anytime during normal business hours.
TED Democracy Live – Founding Futures: June 13, 11:00 am – 5:30 pm
Come to the library for this live national symposium, featuring brand-new TED Talks focused on the evolution and future of democracy. Streaming live from Philadelphia leading up to America’s 250th birthday celebration, this event brings together bold thinkers and change-makers to share ideas designed to inform and inspire. The library will host 3 sessions, beginning at 11:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm, with breaks in between.
Greeting Card Workshop: June 17, 1:00 pm
Join paper crafter Susan Schneider for another installment of this fun workshop, creating a personalized greeting card for that special someone. All supplies are provided, but space is limited, so please contact the library to register by Monday, May 18.
Susan Hollister Wasserman – Stepping Off the Boat: June 17, 7:00 pm
Join us for this presentation by the author of Stepping Off the Boat, a newly published historical account of the growth and development of the North Manitou Island community from the 1800s to the early 1940s. It features hundreds of photographs, helping to vividly document this fascinating chapter of our region’s history. The book was also selected as a 2026 Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. Copies of the book will be available to purchase courtesy of the Cottage Book Shop.
Nature Sketching & Journaling: June 20, 10:00 am
Join the Sleeping Bear Nature Journaling Group for their monthly gathering, lead by artist and environmentalist Penny Krebiehl. Meet at the library first, then head out to explore the local flora and fauna. Bring pens/pencils, sketching pads, water, etc. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather with comfy walking shoes. Registration is not mandatory, but is helpful in the event of schedule changes or inclement weather.
Get Set Up: Life-long learning for Seniors
Michigan seniors can take advantage of these great continuing education courses, offered free of charge in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Courses are accessed online, from the convenience of your own home, and can be enjoyed live or via recording. Get Set Up includes fun, social learning presentations and activities in a diverse range of subjects: personal technology training, food and cooking, health and exercise, travel, and much more. Have a look today!
History Hounds: from the Historical Society of Michigan
Explore fascinating topics in Michigan history with these weekly virtual lectures, presented by the Historical Society of Michigan, and available free of charge to patrons of the Glen Lake Library. Lectures are presented on Tuesday afternoons at noon, or Wednesday evenings at 7:00, in alternating weeks. Register in advance to receive the Zoom meeting link, specifying the Glen Lake Community Library as your member organization.
TALK: Text and Learn for Kindergarten
Here’s a great new resource to support early childhood learning, delivered right to your cell phone. Register via a brief online form, and receive 8 – 10 text messages per month, each outlining a simple activity you can share with your little one. Or, even more simply, just text TALK to 75547. Many thanks to the Ypsilanti District Library and their partners for making this service available to all Michigan residents!
