OC Library summer reading

Unearth a story at the Orange County Library this summer. 

The 2026 Summer Reading Program, “Unearth a Story,” features a dinosaur theme and encourages children and teens to embrace the joy of discovery that reading brings. Children ages 18 months to rising 12th graders can join the program beginning Tuesday, May 26. During each week of participation, readers will receive extra drawing incentives including treasure chest picks, books and entries toward the grand prize drawing. There will be one grand prize drawing for each age group at each of the three library branches at the conclusion of the program. The program is scheduled to end July 25.

As part of the summer reading program, there will be several craft events, visits by performers and storytimes. 

School age crafts, for rising kindergarten through fifth grade, include sand art at Wilderness Library Monday, June 1, the Gordonsville Library June 4 and the Orange Library June 5. A dinosaur clay creation will be held Monday, June 15 at the Wilderness Library and Thursday, June 18 at both the Orange and Gordonsville libraries. A dino zen garden will be held Monday, July 6 at the Wilderness Library, Thursday, July 9 at the Gordonsville Library and Friday, July 10 at the Orange Library. All school age craft events begin at 2 p.m. Registration is required and can be completed online at https://orangeco-va.whofi.com/calendar/full. Click on the event on the calendar to register.

Teen art sessions, for rising sixth through 12th grades, will also be held. Create a dinosaur trinket dish Monday, June 8 at Wilderness, Thursday, June 11 at Gordonsville and Friday, June 12 at Orange. Enjoy ARTivity with The Arts Center Monday, June 22 at Wilderness, Thursday, June 25 at Gordonsville and Friday, June 26 at Orange. Stone mosaics will be Monday, July 13 at Wilderness, Thursday, July 16 at Gordonsville and Friday, July 17 at Orange. All teen art sessions begin at 2 p.m. and registration is required via the calendar located at https://orangeco-va.whofi.com/calendar/full.

Teens can also enjoy book talk Monday June 15 and July 20 at Wilderness, June 17 and July 22 at Gordonsville and June 23 and July 21 at Orange at 4 p.m. Read any fiction book in June and any graphic novel in July and come share thoughts. Snacks will be provided. Dungeons and Dragons for tweens and teens will be held 4-5 p.m. Monday, June 8 and 22 and July 13 at Wilderness and every Thursday June 4 – July 23 (no program July 2) at Gordonsville. 

As part of the summer reading program, a variety of performances will be held. Enjoy the Bright Star Touring Theater as it performs “Dino Academy: A Dinosaur Discovery Show,” Tuesday, June 2, 3-4 p.m. at Locust Grove Middle School (LGMS), Wednesday, June 3, 1-2 p.m. at Gordon-Barbour Elementary School (GBES) and 3:15-4:15 p.m. at Orange Elementary School (OES). Barefoot Puppets will present “Can’t Catch Me” June 9, 3-4 p.m. at LGMS, June 10, 1-2 p.m. at GBES and 3:15-4:15 p.m. at OES. Magician Jonathan Austin will perform July 7, 3-4 p.m. at LGMS, July 8 1-2 p.m. at GBES and 3:15-4:15 p.m. at OES. Animals Unlimited will bring its wildlife friends July 14, 3-4 p.m. at LGMS, July 15 1-2 p.m. at GBES and 3:15-4:15 p.m. at OES. 

Two dinosaur movie parties will be held this summer. Teens can enjoy “Jurassic Park” Tuesday, June 16 at 3 p.m. at Wilderness and June 17 at 1 p.m. at Gordonsville and 3:15 p.m. at Orange. Rising kindergarten through fifth grade can enjoy Disney’s “Dinosaur” Tuesday, June 23 at 3 p.m. at Wilderness and June 24 at 1 p.m. at Gordonsville and 3:15 p.m. at Orange.

Storytimes begin the week of June 2. Toddler Time, for ages 18 months to 3 years with a caregiver, is held Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. at the Wilderness Library. Preschool Storytime for ages 3-5 with a caregiver is held at 11 a.m. Tuesdays at the Wilderness Library. Family Storytime for ages 18 months to 5 years with a caregiver is held Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at the Orange Library and Thursdays at 10 a.m. at the Gordonsville Library.

For more information about the summer reading program, visit https://ocplva.org/services/summer-reading-2026/.