Mulberry library and culture staff preview summer programs, museum exhibits and Mulberry Jams

City staff outlined a full slate of summer programs for families, teens and adults during the commission meeting.

Laura Horton, Library Director, described the library's "Great American Parade" summer calendar tied to the country's 250th anniversary and a children's reading incentive in which young readers earn 'Mulberry Bucks' for 30-minute reading increments; the library is aiming for a collective 250,000 minutes of reading. Horton also described bilingual story time, teen and tween clubs, book-bus visits for free books, LEGO challenges, and a co-op-wide "Jurassic Polk" activity that asks participants to visit all 13 cooperative libraries for a prize drawing.

Chelsea from Culture and Programming reviewed museum and cultural activity: two museum rentals, gym and civic center rentals, Senior Send-Off events, an AP art exhibition and a new patriotic exhibit running through July 10. She announced Summer Splash (the pool) is open Tuesday through Saturday through August 1 (free for residents, $5 for non-residents), $2 family film nights at the gym theater, and Mulberry Jams scheduled for June 26 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

"We're trying to reach 250,000 minutes to represent 250," Horton said of the children's reading goal. Chelsea also reminded residents of local outreach events, including a blood drive at Studio 37 and multiple family-focused activities spread across the calendar.

These announcements are informational; no votes or formal actions were taken. Residents were encouraged to check the city website for program details and registration information.