June 10, 2003

Contact:
Jennifer Meriam, Director (954) 262-5355
Mike Laderman, Associate Director, (954) 262-5354
Mara Kiffin, Coordinator, (954) 262-5350

Hats Off to Reading – Summer Fun for Kids at NSU Library "Wild West"
Kickoff Event Scheduled for Saturday, June 14

FORT LAUDERDALE - School’s out so let the summer fun begin! The Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, will host the “Wild West” kickoff event for “Hats Off to Reading,” a free summer activity program for children and teens, on Saturday, June 14th, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. The library is located at 3100 Ray Ferrero Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.

Produced by South Florida Parenting Magazine, “Wild West” will feature music, magic, games and prizes, pony rides, face painting, balloon art, and cowboy hat craft for families and children of all ages. The first 200 registrants for summer programs will receive South Florida Parenting Magazine’s Kids Fun Pass, which includes discounts to area attractions.

The “Hats Off to Reading” program continues from June 14th through August 9th, presenting activities five days a week. Programs are planned for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, children, and teens. Each week, “Hats Off to Reading” will travel across time and around the world through stories and activities. Themes include: Ancient Egypt, Medieval Days, African Safari, Latin Rhythms, Asian Heritage, Caribbean Adventures, and Future Dreams.

Group activities include:

• Kids’ Club, Mondays, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m., ages 8 to 12. Pre-registration required.
• Culture Club, Tuesdays, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., ages 6 and up
• Bedtime Stories, Tuesdays, 7:00 – 7:30 p.m., ages 3 and up
• Storytime Fun, Wednesdays, 10:00 – 10:30 a.m., ages 3 to 5
• Software Storytime, Wednesdays, 10:30 – 11:00 a.m., ages 3 - 5
• Freeplay: a one-on-one play experience, Fridays, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., ages 6 months to 35 months with parent/caregiver. Weekly pre-registration required
• Special events, Saturdays, 2:00 – 2:45 p.m., all ages. Call for schedule.

The NSU Library is a joint-use facility with the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. It is open to the public and offers wide-ranging collections of children’s picture and storybooks, bestsellers for adults and teens, audiotapes, videotapes, DVDs, and CDs. All Broward County residents can sign up for a free library card and use the general collections as well as the academic databases, books, journals, and reference materials in all media.

Registration is required two weeks in advance for some programs and events. Several programs feature bilingual presentations. Call (954) 262-5477 for reservations and additional information