Sioux City Public Library Announces Summer Reading Lineup

The Sioux City Public Library is pleased to announce the 2026 Summer Readingprogram. Summer Reading runs from June 1 - July 31. Participants of all ages can win prizes by reading all summer long. Sioux City Public Library Summer Reading events are always FREE and open to everyone.

Our Library community reached a major milestone last year: over 1,600 Summer Reading participants logged a collective half-million minutes of reading. That's 1 in 10 school-age kids in Sioux City-and we're just getting started!

As a part of the Youth Summer Reading Program, kids, teens, and families can look forward to storytimes, Read-To-Me Dogs, Illusionist Keith West, Pokémon-a-thon, a celebration in honor of America's 250^th anniversary, owl programs with the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, a visit from Great Plains Zoo, family yoga, Teen After-Hours events, Teen Crafternoons, Little Sprouts Jamboree, Imagination Builders, Innovation Studio, Family Movie Fridays, LEGO events, and much more!

Check out some of our featured events below. Info and the complete calendar of Summer Reading youth events can be found at siouxcitylibrary.org/summerreading.Download your Summer Reading Calendar here or pick up a printed version from any Sioux City Public Library location.

Summer Reading Celebration

Drop-in Thursday, June 4 from 2-4 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library

• Enjoy a Family Karaoke Dance Party, Creation Stations with plant-themed crafts, indoor storywalk, scavenger hunt, and add to the library's window mural.

  Read-To-Me Dogs

  Drop-in Tuesdays, June 9, 16, 23, and 30 from 2-3 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library.

• Children can practice reading to trained therapy dogs.

  *Teen Crafternoons

  2-4 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library.

• Wednesday, June 10: Create an upcycled t-shirt tote bag.
• Monday, July 13: Make holographic kneading putty.

  *Illusionist Keith West - 2 SHOWS! (Same show both events.)

  Monday, June 15 at 2pm at Morningside Branch Library and 6:30 p.m. at Aalfs Downtown Library.

• Mind-boggling illusions and magic for all ages!

  *Family Yoga

  Saturdays, June 20 and July 25 from 10-11 a.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library.

• Learn relaxation and poses for the whole family.

  Pokémon-a-thon!

  Wednesday, June 24, all day at all Sioux City Public Library locations.

• Take part in a Pokémon Scavenger Hunt and make cool Pokémon crafts.

  *Seeking Sasquatch 2: A Teen After-Hours Mystery

  Friday, June 26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library.

• Teens take over the library and solve the clues to unravel a mystery.

  *Great Plains Zoomobile - 2 SHOWS! (Same show both times.)

  Tuesday, July 15 at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Morningside Branch Library.

• Meet small animal ambassadors during this family-friendly program.

Owl Programming with the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

Thursday, July 30 at the Morningside Branch Library

* Meet an Owl at the Library - 10:30 a.m.

- Meet the resident owls from the Nature Center.

*Whoooo Ate This? Exploring Owl Pellets - 2 p.m.

- Investigate a sanitized owl pellet for clues about owl diets

*Registration is required for these events. Registration opens May 1. Register at siouxcitylibrary.org/summerreading or call the library at 712-255-2933.

In addition to all the fun events, youth can win prizes just for reading! Join the Youth Summer Reading Challenge at siouxcitylibrary.beanstack.org. Questions? Call the Library at 712-255-2933 or email [email protected] to get answers direct from Library staff.

We want to see Sioux City youth reading this summer!