SUMMERDALE — When this year’ssummer-reading program kicked off at Marjarie Younce Snook Public Library in Summerdale Tuesday, it did so in a much roomier space. That’s because, thanks to the town of Summerdale, the library has a new 2,500 square-foot children and youth wing. According to Library Director Cindy Suggs, the new wing now comfortably houses materials for Summerdale’s younger set.

“Our complete collection is close to 12,000,” she said in a telephone interview. “The children and youth section is about half of that.”

But reading material isn’t the only thing benefitting from more space. Suggs said th”e new wing is ideal for the summer-reading program, leaving ample space to go all out on the theme.

“It’s all centered around camping,” she said.

Therefore, a portion of the wing  has been transformed into an outdoor campsite, complete with night sky, tent, camping chairs and, of course, a campfire. The program continues each Tuesday, 10 a.m.-noon, with such activities as arts and crafts, along with a featured guest.

The  programs are intended to encourage Summerdale youth to take part in the library’s summer reading program. Coming up Tuesday is Mark Seymour with “Be at Your Best.”

“He uses different types of drums and music,” Suggs said at the library.

June 19 will feature Epke Obioto and the Spirit of African Music.

“We’ll also have the Scholastic Book Fair, with books and prizes,” Suggs said.

The final program will be June 26, with the Funny Farm Petting Zoo and additional activities. Each week also includes a featured reader and craft activity.

According to Suggs, these program tend to be successful.

“Last year, I believe we had 67 registered (in the program),” she said.

The library director said the new wing has plenty of room to accommodate how ever many attend this year’s events.

“Tuesday, I believe we had close to 70,” Suggs said.

But they won’t be the only ones to benefit from the new space, which should be getting a computer lab in the near future.

"During the school year, we have two after-school programs and one preschool program,” Suggs said.

In addition, the space is slated to house a movie month in July.

“We can also use it to host speakers for adults,” Suggs said.

An improvement over using the library’s conference room.

“The conference room holds about 12 people,” Suggs said. “But we can fit about 50 in the new wing.”

While the town funded the construction of the new wing, the endeavor had additional help.

“The library received a LSTA grant that helped with the purchase of new shelving and books for the children’s and juvenile sections,” Suggs said. “The library also received grants from the Snook Family Foundation and Baldwin EMC that will help with the purchase of tables and chairs for the events area.”

Plus, the library director added, Friends of the Summerdale Library recently held a yard sale that funded the construction of a stage in the new wing’s events area, as well as storage-room shelving.

But the latest fundraising project enables the wing’s patrons to put their own mark on the place. That project, Suggs explained enables participants to purchase a tile for $5 and decorate it for display along a chair rail in the wing.

“We don’t tell them what to paint,”Suggs said. “The children are very creative.”

That creativity isn’t limited to one age group. “It’s all ages,” Suggs said. “We’ve even had some adults decorate. The library director said the project is faring well. “I believe we have about 50 tiles decorated,” Suggs said.

For more information about the project or the summer-reading program, call the library at 989-2011 or visit www.summerdalelibrary..com.