3 Days till our 5K Fundraiser!

The weather predictions are out, and Saturday will be beautiful! It's the first day of summer, and it'll be the perfect day to go for a run. So make sure you sign up for our 5K Fundraiser Fun Run!

It's going to be an awesome event for the whole family! We'll have a Health and Fitness Expo going on inside the library beginning at 8:00 a.m. where you can get tons of great info about local wellness opportunities. At 8:30 a.m., a yoga instructor will lead us in pre-run stretches. An of course, the highlight will be when the race itself begins at 9:00 a.m.!

PLUS we'll have a delicious visit from the Paris Creperie Food Truck, and you'll be able to grab some yummy crepes to refuel after your run, or while you're cheering on friends and family who are running!

If you haven't signed up yet, there's still time. Visit our 5K website and click on Register.  You'll also be able to sign up the morning of the race if you make a split-second decision.

For those of you who've already signed up (or who sign up right now, directly from this blog post!), be sure to pick up your race bib and your T-shirt.  You can stop in to the library to get them:
- Friday, June 20 from 11am to 7pm
- Saturday, June 21 from 8:00 to 8:45am

And a special thank you to all of the local organizations providing their support!!

• Fitness Together in Belmont
• Hulafrog
• Ameriprise Financial
• Greater Boston Running Company in Newton
• Synergy Personal Fitness Training in Waltham
• Action Athletics in Newton
• Boston Sports Club in Watertown
• The Little Gym of Boston in Waltham
• All One Yoga in Boston
• Oak Square YMCA

We're gearing up for Summer Reading!

Summer Reading starts June 23!

We've started getting ready by decorating the Children's Department! The next time you come in, you'll see a giant robot gracing our windows. He's getting ready for you to put gears on him with your name on them when you sign up! You can start signing up at our Kick Off event on Monday, June 23 at 3:30pm, and then anytime after that for the whole summer.

How does Summer Reading work?

When you sign up, you'll put your name on a reading log and you'll set a personal reading goal. You'll keep track of how much time you spend reading and, every time you come to the library, you'll get to stamp your log for every fifteen minutes you've spent reading. This year, we'll even have special reading logs for kids who are not reading yet, on which they can stamp for time they spend doing any literacy-related activities like singing, rhyming, looking at pictures in books, and attending library programs.

What are we reading for?

We're keeping track of the time that all the kids in Watertown spend reading on our reading meter. When we reach certain goal levels, we'll donate animals to Heifer International. These animals will go to hungry families all over the world. You'll get to celebrate when you reach your personal reading goal, AND when we reach our collective goals together. Here are our goals:

• 500 hours: A flock of geese
• 1000 hours: Honeybees
• 2000 hours: Rabbits
• 3000 hours: A Goat!

That's a higher goal than we've ever had before! Do you think we can do it?

Looking for more information about Summer Reading? Check out our website, complete with suggested reading lists from the Watertown Public Schools. Or stop in to the library to grab a brochure or ask us about it in person!

Support the WFPL and get fit at the same time!

Saturday, June 21 at 9:00 a.m.

WFPL 5K Fundraiser!

In a little less than two weeks, the Watertown Free Public Library will be hosting our very first ever Fundraiser 5K Run/Walk!  This is an awesome opportunity for the whole family to get a little fresh air and run around Watertown together.  Plus, you'll be supporting the library by helping us raise money for the Building Committee, who helps us pay for some of our programs and fun extras that we all enjoy throughout the year. You won't want to miss this awesome event!

To register, visit our website at www.watertownlib.org/5K. Registration is $20 for adults, $15 for youths (18 and under), and kids under 6 are free!

Not an avid runner?  Don't worry! Runners, walkers, stroller-pushers, and dog-walkers alike will find others moving at the same pace.  Plus, we've got some fun programs going on to help us train together!

Watertown Walks: Mondays, June 9 and 16, 12:00 noon
Join us on the patio in front of the library for a walk through Watertown together! All ages and ability levels welcome!

Watertown Jogs: Thursdays, June 5, 12, and 19, 5:00 p.m.
A personal trainer from Fitness Together will lead us in an easy jog. Meet on the patio in front of the library. All ages and ability levels welcome!

Looking for more info? As above, check out our 5K website. Or visit our Facebook Page! And of course, you can stop in at the library or call us at 617-972-6435 to talk with us about it.

We can't wait to run or walk with you!