It’s been two weeks since the summer reading program at Athens-Limestone Public Library started, and so far organizers believe attendance has been “awesome.”

The hope is the program, which wraps up July 26, continues to grow.

The six-week program, known as “A Universe of Stories,” is designed to help support a child’s literacy skills and includes weekly programs for all ages.

Amanda Coleman, head of youth services at the library, said the summer reading program had about 1,900 participants combined in all the various classes and programs last year.

In two weeks, the program has already brought in an estimated 814 participants, Coleman said.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “Our numbers are high. We are having a lot of fun.”

Coleman said the summer reading program, which includes a number of smaller programs and events, requires no registration and is free to participants.

The program is designed to encourage students to make a goal of how much they want to read. Participants are also given a reading log to keep up with their progress, whether it’s the number of pages read in a book or the number of books read.

“Summer reading helps children of all ages,” Coleman said.

She said school children tend to regress during the summer months because they’re not reading and not worried about school.

“They can lose several months of knowledge,” she said. “The summer reading program encourages a child to read. They can do fun things, make things and spend time with other kids.

“It keeps the brain going and prevents the summer slide. They will be ahead of the game instead of behind when they’re ready to start the new school year.”

There is also a reward for reading. Coleman said students who turn in their reading logs by July 26 will receive tickets to the library’s Galactic Glow Party on Aug. 3. The party, hosted by the Athens-Limestone Public Library Foundation, will include live music, entertainment, food games and more.

Weekly programs

• Mission Control is a do-it-yourself program. Activities are available at the front of the library for a week and the start of the each new week brings new activities. Some activities include a scavenger hunt for planets and making an astronaut helmet.

• Mission Control for Teens is similar to Mission Control, but is designed with teenagers in mind. Activities, which are located in the teen room, include a poetry wall, board games and more.

• Space Academy is a program for students who have completed kindergarten through sixth grades.

Participants read stories, play games, do science projects and make crafts. Space Academy is 10:15-11 a.m. Tuesdays. (For safety reasons, a parent or guardian must stay with the child.)

• Mini Moon Explorers is for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. The storytime program, held 10:15-11 a.m. Wednesdays, includes a book, singing, finger plays, interactive storytelling and crafts. (For safety reasons, a parent or guardian must stay with the child.)

• Teen Time is for students who have completed seventh through 12^th grades. Teen Time, which is 3:30-5:30 p.m. Thursdays, includes painting, cosplay, karaoke and crafts. Anime Night is 3:30-6 p.m. July 11.

• Spectrum Storytime is for children of all ages with special needs. Spectrum Storytime, which is 10:15-10:45 a.m. Fridays, focuses on children who fall within the autism spectrum. Children will read books, do finger plays, sing songs, play with puppets, participate in interactive storytelling and more. (For safety reasons, a parent or guardian must stay with the child.)

The last week of the summer reading program will include several activities. Those activities include:

• A visit from Alabama Archives is at 1 p.m. Monday, July 15. Alabama Archives is bringing the traveling trunk for an interactive program for all ages. The program will teach participants that Alabama has a universe of stories.

• A picnic under the stars will be 10:15 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 16, in the library’s community room. Participants can bring a sleeping bag and blanket for storytime, crafts and a snack under the stars.

• The Animal Tales show is at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 17, in the library’s community room. Participants will meet animals that are “out of this world.”

Coleman hopes youth of all ages will have a blast with her at the library.

“It’s going to be an out-of-this-world summer,” she said.

Visit https://athenslimestone.lib.al.us/ to find out more.