Summer Reading 2026!

Plant a Seed, Read!

with Special Events, On-going Programs and Reading Challenges

Summer Hours: We're opening every weekday at 10 a.m.!

Special Events

Exotic Animals with Dr. Bec, Wednesday, June 17 at 3 p.m. at the Dysart Community Building

Meet Dr. Mike Bechtel. (You can call him Bec!) Bec is an associate professor of science education at Wartburg College and was a high school science teacher before that. He has always raised exotic animals in his classrooms and his home. He loves teaching and learning, adventures, meeting new people (especially those who share his love of animals), traveling to new corners of the planet, and studying interesting life forms.

Absolute Science Bubble Stations, Friday, July 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Dysart City Park

This is one of the largest mobile bubble outdoor programs in the United States. Their hand-made bubble solution makes bubbles not only bigger, but longer lasting! With hundreds of wands of different shapes and sizes from all over the world, you will enjoy a wonderful hands-on experience that brings out the child in all of us! Find us at the tennis courts at the Dysart City Park starting a 6 p.m.

On-Going Weekly Programs in June & July

*Programs Begin the 2nd Week of June

Story Time Adventures, Monday mornings at 10:15 a.m.

Join us Monday mornings for special summer story times when we partner is with area agencies, community resources, and program presenters to bring extra fun activities to the library during summer break. *In the event of rain, outdoor programs may be cancelled.

Story Time Adventures Schedule

Tama County ISU Extension & Outreach: Monday, June 8, 10:15 a.m. (at the library)

Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Ag Ford: Monday, June 15, 10:15 (at the library)

Tama County Conservation: Monday, June 22, 10:15 a.m. (at the library)

Viola Irvine Nature Preserve: Monday, June 29, 10:15 a.m. (310 Sherman St. entrance or end of Maple St. entrance)

Library Children's Garden: Monday, July 6, 10:15 a.m. (south of the library)

Dysart City Park: Monday, July 13, 10:15 a.m.

Dysart Historical Center: Monday, July 20, 10:15 a.m. (612 Crisman St.)

TBD: Monday, July 27, 10:15 a.m.

Tunes Day, Tuesday mornings at 10:15 a.m.

Join us for music and movement every Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. this summer starting June 9. We'll have fun with interactive songs, scarves, shakers, bubbles and more!

Pages & Puzzles, Thursdays during normal hours

Read, color, and solve puzzles this summer every Thursday during normal hours when Pages & Puzzles expands to include our summertime library visitors. Find or make a cozy spot to read when you visit the library on Thursdays. We're making reading forts just for summer! Other activities available at Pages & Puzzles include special coloring challenges, puzzles to solve, jigsaw puzzles, and scavenger hunts.

Book Worms Book Club for Kids, Thursdays at 2 p.m.

Join us for this special book club for kids starting June 11! Each week, staff will share a picture book or part of a chapter book. Then we'll have an informal discussion and allow kids can talk about the books the like. Afterwards, kids can stay and play in the library children's area.

Everyday Fun @ the Library

Drop-In Playtime at the Library, any day during normal hours.

Meet your friends for play date at the library. We have Melissa and Doug toys, a train table, puzzles, blocks, puppet theater and lots of fun books to read. Find changing projects in our MakerSpace, too.

MakerSpace STEAM Fun & Kids Build: Every Day

Craft, color, learn and build in our MakerSpace featuring STEAM projects throughout the summer! Solve problems with STEM and building challenges, code with Bee Bots coding activities, and explore circuits with our new circuit sets. We'll also be offering kitted crafts and coloring projects. Explore, learn and create when it fits your schedule.

We always have Lego/Duplo and magnetic tile stations available and will rotate other building sets throughout the week.

Curious Kids, come-and-go during normal hours all week long

We're exploring science, engineering, math, reading and more with Curious Kids! Find new challenges at the front desk!

Community Art Garden

Create an indoor art garden at the library when you visit the library MakerSpace. Find craft kits for everything we need to make our Art Garden complete!

Plant a Seed, Read! I Spy

We're creating a giant I Spy in the large display case and adding new things all summer long. Can you find everything on the list?

Norma Anders Public Library

2026 Summer Reading Challenges

Two Options: Use one option, both options or some of both. Just have fun reading!

Option 1: Reading Logs

Track Minutes Read

June & July

Preschool through High School

Read 160 minutes to complete your log.

Read books, newspapers, magazines, or graphic novels. Read together or on your own, just have fun reading!

Turn in completed logs to earn instant rewards and to be entered into the monthly drawing for Barnes & Nobel gift certificates. Readers in this challenge are limited to 10 completed cards per person to earn prizes. We will hold two extra drawings for kids who want to turn in more than 10 cards, however they will not receive instant rewards.

When turning in completed logs, readers are limited to 2 per day.