July, 2026 Edition 

The Perry Cook Chronicle is a monthly newsletter featuring news, services, and events at Perry Cook Memorial Public Library. Print copies are available for reading at the library. Get library information and news straight to your inbox by subscribing to The Chronicle.

Celebrating Community at the Johnsville Jubilee!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 18, and join friends, family, and neighbors for the Johnsville Jubilee, a day-long celebration honoring our community and America's 250th anniversary. Festivities begin at 2:00 pm and continue throughout the day with activities and entertainment for all ages. The Jubilee will feature a variety of family-friendly attractions including a History Walk, Community Garage Sales, a Baking Contest, Tractor Show, Kids Activities, and plenty of Fun & Games. Guests can also enjoy classic community competitions such as Tug-of-War, Sack Races, and Pickleball, making this a perfect event for both participants and spectators. Families will find something for everyone, from hands-on activities for children to opportunities to connect with local organizations and community members. The evening will conclude with a family movie at dusk, providing a relaxing end to a day full of hometown fun.

"Unearth a Story"

Summer Reading is currently underway at Perry Cook Memorial Library. It's still possible to participate! Participants are encouraged to read for at least one hour and engage with library activities for a chance to be entered into our prize drawings. Completing two weeks of the program allows you to earn a water bottle, and each week you complete earns you a custom "Unearth a Story" vinyl sticker. We are pleased to offer a variety of summer reading events in July, including a Field Day, Soil Explorers, Archeology Discovery, and Freddy Fossil's Dino Show.

Freddy Fossil: Special Summer Reading Presenter

Join the legendary paleontologist Freddy Fossil for an exciting adventure where you can meet incredible life-sized dinosaurs that will leave you in awe! This interactive show blends the marvels of the ancient world with thrilling scientific principles. Immerse yourself in the magic of our prehistoric past in a way that's both fun and educational!

Thank you Sponsors! 

The Perry Cook Memorial Library would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Summer Reading Grant for their generous support of our 2026 Summer Reading Program, "Unearth a Story."

Because of their investment in literacy and learning, local children and families have been able to enjoy six weeks of exciting educational programs, special presenters, reading incentives, and hands-on experiences that bring stories to life. These grant funds have made it possible for us to create meaningful opportunities for children to explore, discover, and develop a lifelong love of reading. For many families in our rural community, the library is more than a place to borrow books - it is a welcoming space where children can learn, grow, connect with others, and celebrate the joy of reading. Through programs like Unearth a Story, we are helping young readers stay engaged, curious, and confident while creating lasting memories with their families. Thank you to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the LSTA Summer Reading Grant for making this year's program possible and for helping us inspire the next generation of readers.

Call for Artwork!

The Perry Cook Memorial Library is seeking submissions to showcase your artwork and crafts in conjunction with our Johnsville Jubilee America-250 celebration. Please submit your entries by July 16, 2026. We encourage submissions with a patriotic theme in some form and welcome a variety of items suitable for wall display or tabletop presentation. If you have any questions, please contact the library. We look forward to receiving your submissions.

"The Sandlot" Movie at Dusk

What better way to celebrate Americana than with a screening of "The Sandlot"? Following the Johnsville Jubilee on July 18, the Perry Cook Memorial Library will host a showing of "The Sandlot" in our pole barn. We'll provide popcorn - please bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a relaxing evening with family and friends.

Creativity is Blooming at Perry Cook: Two New Crafting Opportunities

Back by popular demand - Adult Crafting at the Library! On July 10th, we invite all adults aged 18 and over to participate in our "Make a Brick, Take a Brick" garden art project. Inspired by your favorite classical literature, you can paint bricks in the style of your preferred books to display in our garden. Running out of space in your own garden? No problem - your artwork is welcome to be featured in our new Perry Cook Community Garden. We believe that literacy and gardening go hand in hand and look forward to creating a garden filled with literary-inspired designs in our newly planted sunflower bed.

Turn a brick into a book! Paint a brick like the cover of your favorite kid's book, teen book, or adult novel. Take inspiration from whatever you like to read. Make a brick, take a brick - you'll paint one to leave here for our garden, and take the other home. All materials provided. Open to tweens and teens, ages 11-18 years. Registration required. Limit 15. Register online for teen craft.

White Elephant Bingo

BINGO! We'll provide some prizes and you can bring along a white elephant to add to the prize table. No need to buy prizes - some of our most creative items come directly from garage sale leftovers! Come join in the fun. Bingo is the first Tuesday of every month from 3:00 - 4:30 pm. Open to teens and adults. 

Summer Meals at Perry Cook Memorial Library

Perry Cook Memorial Library is proud to partner with Children's Hunger Alliance to help provide nutritious meals for local children during the summer months. Many families rely on free or reduced-price school meals during the school year, and summer can create a difficult gap in access to food. Through this partnership, families can pick up free summer lunch meals every Monday from June 8 through August 10. Meal pick up times are: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm and 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Meals can be picked up at the library each Monday during the program dates. we are grateful to work alongside Children's Hunger Alliance to help support children and families in our community throughout the summer.

Perry Cook Library in the Parade

On July 4th of this year, Perry Cook Memorial Library will participate in the Morrow County America-250 Parade, which will be held at the monument in the square of Mount Gilead. We are honored to join our fellow Morrow County libraries in this commemorative event. Our participation reflects a celebration of our history, a tribute to our freedoms, and a commitment to building a shared future.

Jen's Corner

One of the things I enjoy most about reading is discovering books I might never have picked up on my own. "The Mosquito: a Human History of Our Deadliest Predator" by Timothy C. Winegard was recommended to me by a friend, and I am glad it was. It has become one of the most fascinating nonfiction books I have read this year. In this engaging book, Winegard explores how one tiny insect has influenced the course of human history. From shaping the outcomes of wars and military campaigns to affecting exploration, settlement, and global development, the mosquito has had a far greater impact on civilization than most people realize. The book combines history, science, medicine, and storytelling to reveal how diseases spread by mosquitos have altered the fate of nations and millions of lives. What I found particularly interesting was the author's ability to connect historical events that we often study separately  and show the surprising role mosquitos played behind the scenes. The book offers a fresh perspective on world history and demonstrates how seemingly small factors can have enormous consequences.

 "The Mosquito" is also a great reminder of the variety of nonfiction materials available at Perry Cook Memorial Library. While many people think of novels when they visit the library, our nonfiction collection includes books on history, science, nature, technology, biographies, current events, and countless other topics. Whether you're looking to learn something new or simply to satisfy your curiosity, there is always something waiting to be discovered. This title is one of the newest additions to our collection, and I encourage anyone who enjoys history, science, or unique perspectives on the world to give it a try. You never know where a recommendation from a friend - or a visit to the library - might lead you next.