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By James Gardner

Clark County Public Library

The Summer Solstice is taking place on June 21. It’s the longest day of the year. Some people might think of it as longer moments of sunshine to do some summer activities. Perhaps they think of it as waiting a little longer to appreciate the sunset. I am thinking of the line from William Shakespeare’s “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” (also known as Sonnet 18):

“And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”

That line always stands out in the sonnet, and it dramatically sums up what the sonnet is about: not about the long and endless days of summer, but that summer doesn’t last long. A more well-known phrase is the allusion “time flies.” For some, that might bring to mind alarm clocks flying through the air (okay, maybe a small number of people, if any, are thinking of flying alarm clocks), but it sums up how there never seems to be enough time in the day to do anything, and that goes double for summer because those days of warm weather and sunshine won’t last forever.

Now is the time to spend outside. Take walks. Swim. Go hiking. Travel. It’s good to get some sun. However, you don’t have to overdo it. And you could spend some time in your home enjoying summer, but you can also come to the library where the Summer Reading Program is currently underway, and with it, the opportunity to get some fabulous prize packs.

The library also gives people things to do. There are books you can read at the beach, the park, or anywhere it’s sunny (or indoors, for that matter). Come inside to get a break from the heat and check your email on one of our computers, read some magazines or just relax in a comfy chair. Take the opportunity provided by longer days to learn something new, whether it’s writing poetry or making pickles (both I happen to love). After stopping by the pool or the park, rent a movie to watch when the sun goes down or you can watch a movie here at our Kentucky Picture Show or Ron Kibbey’s Comedy Classics if you’re a fan of truly classic films (we also provide popcorn and drinks!).

This piece might sound like promotional material for the library, and it is (after all, the title of this is “What’s Happening at the Library”). But there is also a little advice that readers should consider.

Time is precious, whether it’s in summer, autumn, winter, or spring. If you enjoy summer, go out and enjoy that summer, whether outdoors, indoors, or inside the library.

Maybe even consider some of our programs taking place this week and beyond:

• June 20 at 6 p.m. is the monthly meeting for Write Out There!, a writing group where writers of all kinds talk about their projects, get feedback about their work, and fun activities to jumpstart our creative minds. James Gardner and Rachel Hamm welcome writers of all kinds to get some awesome writing prompts to get you started and we can also do workshops where other writers can share their work and get feedback. Bring anything you’re working on, or just bring paper, pencil or laptop to do some writing and have some fun.

• This week’s Kentucky Picture Show is a classic film starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Romance and suspense ensue in Paris as a woman (Hepburn) is pursued by several men who want a fortune her murdered husband had stolen. Whom can she trust? She might be able to trust the dashing man she met on holiday (Grant). Or not. Popcorn and drinks are, of course, provided.

• For those who’d like to be part of the Friends of the Library, there will be a meeting on June 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Brooks Community Room. The Friends of the Library had been an integral part of the library until about 2013. Most of the emphasis has been on raising funds for the summer reading programs and activities for young readers. The meeting on June 26 is to see if people in the community would be interested in revitalizing the group again.