Summer is Here!

When we think of summer, we think of good summer reads on the beach and explorations to other day-trip destinations. So here is a list of resources to help you with some ideas and planning.

1. Summer Reading is everywhere! This year’s theme is “Be Creative @ Your Library” and you can watch a nice jingle about it on YouTube:
   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdnyF5X-V0I

Free summer reading programs are to be found in Maryland public library systems.

Here is an alphabetical list – contact your county’s public library for further details, or better yet, just drop by and ask at your nearest local library!

1. Allegeny County: http://www.alleganycountylibrary.info
2. Anne Arundel: http://www.aacpl.net/src_09/index.html
3. Baltimore County: http://www.bcpl.info/kidspage/summerreading.html
4. Calvert County: http://calvert.lib.md.us/summer09/
5. Caroline County: http://www.carolib.org/library/
6. Carroll County: http://library.carr.org/
7. Cecil County: http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/kids/summer-reading/
8. Charles County: http://www.ccplonline.org/kids/summerreading09.html
9. Dorchester County: http://www.dorchesterlibrary.org/childrenservices.html
10. Enoch Pratt (Baltimore City): http://www.prattlibrary.org/home/index.aspx?id=33502
11. Frederick County: http://www.fcpl.org/information/programs/2009/src-events.php
12. Harford County: http://www.hcplonline.info/kids/summerreading.html
13. Howard County: http://www.hclibrary.org/index.php?page=218
14. Kent County: http://www.kentcountylibrary.org/newsletter/2009/06/summer_reading_your_library_20.html
15. Montgomery County: http://montgomerycountymd.libguides.com/summerreading
16. Prince George’s County: http://www.pgcmls.info/Current/SRP.html
17. Queen Anne’s County: http://www.quan.lib.md.us/
18. Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County: http://www.relib.net/events.asp
19. Somerset County: http://www.some.lib.md.us/scls-children2.shtml
20. St. Mary’s County: http://www.stmalib.org/summer09.html
21. Talbot County: http://www.tcfl.org/child/summer_reading_2009.html
22. Washington County: http://www.washcolibrary.org/src.asp
23. Wicomico County: http://www.wicomicolibrary.org/
24. Worchester County: http://www.worcesterlibrary.org/

2. For getting around: Need to know the best gas prices around you? GasBuddy offers an easy way to check Maryland:
   
   

http://gasbuddy.com/Gas_Prices/Maryland/index.aspx

For outside Maryland, you can see the state listing on GasBuddy’s home page:

http://gasbuddy.com/

Prices can suddenly change, but these indicators can sometimes be helpful.

If you are already out and about, you may want to check for gas stations and their prices using your mobile. The helpful site “Mashable, The Social Media Guide” offers suggestions (from last year):

http://mashable.com/2008/05/05/check-gas-prices-online-11-handy-tools/

3. Maryland’s official tourism site offers a listing of events, ideas, and a bonus! You can order up to nine brochures/maps/guides for free:
   
   http://visitmaryland.org/Pages/brochures.aspx
   

4. At the Beach is a nice site listing events at major Maryland and Delaware beaches:
   
   http://atbeach.com/events/new/
   
   Click on the event’s name for details. Most listed are free.
   
   
5. Free Music Events in the Maryland/DC region: About.com offers a resource list for finding outdoor, free concerts:
   
   http://dc.about.com/od/concerts/a/summerconcerts.htm
   
   

For Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, you can see a list of free outdoor concerts here:

http://baltimore.about.com/od/artsentertainment/a/outdoorconcerts.htm

More Baltimore-area events (mostly free) are listed on the “Top of the World” at:

http://www.baltimore.to/TopOfWorld/index.html

This is from the tourist/informative site all about Baltimore at:

http://www.baltimore.to/index.html

If you have other questions about what to do this summer and how to get there, remember that you can always log onto Maryland AskUsNow! (http://www.askusnow.info) and chat with a live librarian, anytime day or night.

Have a fun adventure!