MITCHELL SD (Mitchell Now) School may be finished until the fall, but at the Mitchell Public Library getting lost in a book never goes out of style.

This year’s Summer Reading Program theme is full of adventure with a theme of “Unearth a Story.” The library hopes that area residents will keep the pages turning on a daily basis. The goal for adults is to log 2,500 minutes between now and July 31st, or an average of about 45 minutes per day. The library has two book clubs to help participants stay on track, one focusing on general fiction and the other on mysteries. There are also writer’s workshops planned in June and July for those interested in trying to pen the next great American novel.

The program aims to keep teens in the reading game, asking them to commit to 1,500 minutes over the next two months, about 30 minutes per day. It’s not all work and no play for this age group, though. There will be time for some video games with a Mario Kart tournament set for June 26th and a Super Smash Bros competition on July 17th. Painting, take-and-make crafts, and petroglyph carvings are some of the other highlights for teens.

For both age groups, every 500 minutes of reading unlocks a new prize. Library officials say the rewards should be ready by mid-July for pickup.

The theme “Unearth a Story” truly comes alive for children. The library is hosting a goat petting event on Saturday at its parking lot from 10:00 a.m. to noon to kick things off, kidding around encouraged. Reading charts will be handed out.

Each Thursday is storytime with activities planned for age groups ranging from infants to elementary students. Zoo Man will be showing off various reptiles on June 2nd. Other presentations highlight rocks, minerals, and insects.

On July 1st, the library is hosting a free tour at the Mitchell Indigenous Archaeological Site. Another keystone event is a presentation from Dakota Wesleyan University Professor Mike Farney. He’ll show a video inside a pop-up planetarium on the latest theories as to how the dinosaurs went extinct. Also on display will be an assortment of fossils, including that of a young T-Rex skull.

Click on the links for more information about the Summer Reading Program at the children (https://www.cityofmitchellsd.gov/494/Summer-Reading-Program), teen (https://www.cityofmitchellsd.gov/631/2026-Teen-Summer-Reading-Program), and adult (https://www.cityofmitchellsd.gov/611/2026-Summer-Reading-Program) levels.