Summer is almost over! Polk County Schools start back in less than two weeks and many others such as Landrum and Lake Lure Classical Academy have already begun. If you’re one of the lucky few still enjoying summer break, and you participated in Polk County Public Library’s 2016 Summer Reading Program, don’t forget that our wrap-up party is this morning at Gibson Pool! Call the library for details if you haven’t picked up your ticket yet.

We have a few more fun activities planned before the first day of school. Kids can enjoy the Stuffed Animal Sleepover next week. Drop your favorite stuffed animal off at the Columbus Library between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tues., August 23. They will spend the night at the library and have all kinds of fun adventures! The next day, wear your pajamas to the library at 10 a.m. for a fun breakfast storytime. You can pick your stuffed animal up and learn all about their overnight shenanigans. Members of the Polk County High School basketball team and their coach Antoni Staley will be on hand to read stories, sing songs and make crafts with the kids!

We’re having a Teen Back-To-School Cookout for rising sixth to 12th graders on the Columbus Library deck from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tues., August 23. There will be free food and drinks as well as fun activities such as decorating school supplies, water gun painting and water balloon games.

All ages can enjoy a presentation by local author Miriam Bradley this afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Saluda Library. The author of the “Double Cousins” series will talk about her books, the writing process and how she developed the plot for her latest novel, “The Nearly Twins and the Secret in the Mason Jar,” which is set in Saluda.

Our Computer Basics Class continues on August 26 at 1 p.m. in the Columbus Library’s computer lab. This month’s lesson focuses on email attachments. Attendees will learn how to send and download documents and pictures as well as how to set up address groups.

Stay tuned to see what fun programs we have to offer this fall! Teen Scene for middle and high school students will be on Monday afternoons in Saluda and Tuesday afternoons in Columbus. We will also offer programs for elementary school students at the Columbus Library on Wednesday afternoons. Our Rising Readers storytime for ages two to five starts back in September on Tuesday mornings at the Columbus Library.

If you need more information about any of these programs, check out our website or feel free to call or email me. I look forward to seeing you at the library!

Jen Pace Dickenson is the Youth Services Librarian at Polk County Public Library. For information about the library’s resources, programs, and other services, visit www.polklibrary.org or call (828) 894-8721.