The Saline County Library will host Library Con 2023 on Saturday, July 29, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This event will take place at the Benton branch, located at 1800 Smithers Drive, Benton, AR 72015. This event is free of charge and open to all ages.
Library Con marks the end of the 2023 Summer Reading Challenge. This program gives children, teens, and adults the opportunity to keep their reading skills sharp over the summer, while also earning prizes like t-shirts, tumblers, bubbles, and sunglasses. Readers set their daily reading goals and then receive credit for each day they reach that goal. The readers are given various prizes for reaching certain milestones: 10 days, 25 days, and 40 days. Any readers who have not yet claimed their prizes are encouraged to do so during Library Con. Prizes cannot be picked up after July 29th.
This event will feature a variety of activities for all ages. At 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., Super Spider from Fancyful Parties will be leading superhero training for children in the Meeting Room. Superhero training will be limited to 25 children per session and will be on a first come, first served basis. Family trivia will also be held in the Meeting Room; 12:30 PM – Marvel/DC Comics trivia, 1:00 p.m. – Disney trivia, 1:30 p.m. – Pokémon trivia. Throughout the day there will be crafts in the children’s area and a building block station in the Storytime Room. There will also be local vendors located on the upper floor.
During the event, attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters from books, movies, television shows, and video games. At 12:00 p.m. there will be a costume contest on the lower floor. One winner will be selected from each of the following categories: Ages 5 and under, Ages 6-12, Ages 13-18, Ages 19+, and Best group costume. Whether patrons are in costume or not, everyone is encouraged to make use of the photo station that will be set up on the lower floor.
Library Con will also house the library’s Local Author Showcase. The Local Author Showcase will feature approximately a dozen authors from the Central Arkansas area. These authors represent a variety of genres, from children’s fiction to crime/thriller. Each author will be set up at their own table on the upper floor. Attendees are encouraged to meet the authors and ask them questions about their published works. Several authors will also have books available for purchase/signing.
The Saline County Library has been serving the residents of Saline County since 1931. In that time, it has expanded to two locations: The Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library in Benton and the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library in Bryant. Each location provides wireless access computing as well as desktop computers for guest use, and several other non-traditional items such as video games, cake pans, small tools, and more. The Saline County Library also provides a variety of events and community outreach programs. For a full list of services and upcoming events, visit www.salinecountylibrary.org or call 501-778-4766.