Back in 1987 some Libraries in Minnesota got together to try and promote summer time reading among kids. The idea was that when kids got out of school for the summer it was a great time to get them into a library. Great idea. So a collaborative was formed to come up with themes, graphics, posters and incentive ideas to try and accomplish this goal. Well, it seems to have worked pretty well! Now there are libraries in many states taking part in this same summer time activity.

For 2012, the theme for children is two fold. For elementary aged kids the theme is “Dream Big! Read!” while for teenaged kids the them is “Own The Night!”. Very cool and both connect very well with kids.

But we seem to have something that also connects both with kids and with these two themes. For several months now we have been getting inquiries from libraries all over the country interested in our Sky Dome Planetarium. For those who do not know, Sky Dome is an inflatable planetarium we tour to schools all over the country. A giant inflatable dome is set up, containing a $40,000 digital star projector. This mobile planetarium has dazzled student audiences for many years, offering projections far superior to the old analog “Starlab” type planetariums of days gone by.

Well, it seems that many librarians think our inflatable planetarium is not just good for schools, but also perfect for encouraging kids to “Dream Big” and to “Own The Night”. And we think so to! After all, dreaming big doesn’t get much bigger than a thirty foot dome containing the entire universe! And as to “Owning the Night”, well sitting in our portable planetarium is really the next best thing to doing just that!.

Now, we have run into a number of libraries where they just don’t have a space large enough to accommodate the 16 foot tall inflatable planetarium. Schools almost always have a gym perfect for such a purpose, but many libraries do not. Never fear! Librarians seem to be very creative. We have scheduled the program now in many places where the actual performances are taking place across the street from the library in a school or National Guard armory or Veterans club. It is working out perfectly.

If you are seeking ideas for an event guaranteed to bring kids into your library this summer, in conjunction with these 2012 themes from the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), look no further! We have already scheduled tours to be in Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Michigan and parts of the east Coast. We most likely also have room on our schedule to visit your town.

So dream big! Give us a call and let us bring our inflatable planetarium experience into your library this summer. You, too, can “own the night!”

Oh, and if you represent a school, we are also now scheduling for the 2012-2013 school year so call for your date today before the schedules are full!