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Library staff outlines summer reading lineup, 'Kidchella' kickoff and August app rollout
Summary
Library staff announced a summer reading program starting June 1 through about Aug. 1, a Kidchella-themed family kickoff in July, a July 1 author reading at 5 p.m., a 10-week intern placement, and an ILS migration that will bring a new public app in August; staff said details and timing will be posted before the migration.
Library staff announced details of the branch's summer calendar on Friday, saying the summer reading program begins June 1 and will run through about Aug. 1, with programs for children and teens and separate adult services.
The announcement, delivered by Library staff (S2), outlined multiple events and operational changes: a Kidchella-themed kickoff in July featuring crafts, music, dancing, prizes and the library mascot; an author reading scheduled for July 1 at 5 p.m.; a new adult Tuesday program with game tables; and a plan to pause some services briefly while the library switches to a new integrated library system and launches a public app in August.
Why it matters: The summer schedule combines youth programming and community outreach with operational changes that will affect how patrons access services. Staff said they will post timeline details before the ILS migration and make accommodations for any service gaps.
Library staff said the summer reading program already has early sign-ups that began in February and that pricing is the same for children and teens while adult programming is priced differently. "They're calling it Kidchella," Library staff said of the family event that will include weekend ticketed sessions and a midday kickoff (staff described the kickoff window as roughly 12:00–1:30 p.m.).
Staff also announced an author appearance on July 1 at 5 p.m. as part of the summer schedule and said local authors have previously participated in adult programming; the library allows authors to present and to bring books for raffles or giveaways but does not permit on-site sales, staff said. A board member asked whether grants could be sought to purchase books for giveaways; staff said grant eligibility varies by program and offered to connect board members with M. Jensen (contact given as mjensen@ashramcity).
Staff introduced a new intern, George, who began this week and will spend about 10 weeks rotating through departments. Staff described George as a retired designer from San Diego who is assisting across services and encouraged community members to meet him.
On digital services, staff said the San Diego County Library has produced a color-coded countywide map linking branch pages that was expected to go live next week. Separately, the branch will migrate to a new ILS and release a new app in August; staff warned there will be brief interruptions to some online services during the migration and said they will announce the exact timeline in advance.
No formal votes, motions or policy adoptions were taken during the portion of the meeting covering these items. Staff said they will circulate updated schedules and additional details about programs, volunteer participation by the Friends group, and the ILS migration timeline to the board and the public.
Next steps: Staff will provide updated summer-program schedules and migration notices to patrons before services are paused for the ILS transition.
