OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Children going to the Edith Belle Libby Memorial Library are doing more than checking out books and videos. They are learning to build a better world.

“Build a Better World” is the the theme of this year’s summer reading program, which incorporates fun and educational activities and encourages young people to continue reading during the summer and visit the library, said Children’s Librarian Kim McLaughlin.

The program runs Tuesday through Friday June 27 through Aug. 18 starting with a free lunch at noon, through the USDA summer lunch program. 

Through the Build a Better World theme, activities focus on engineering, conservation and community service.

Attendance has varied, said McLaughlin, with one day reaching 15 participants.

On Monday, 4-year-old Savannah Orcutt, who was from Massachusetts and in town for part of the summer visiting her grandmother, and 9-year-old Joseph Maalouf, a Saco resident whose family owns property in Old Orchard Beach were at the library.

McLaughlin was worked with the two children individually on an activity testing the strength of paper and different shaped columns. The children created columns in different shapes – circle, square and triangle with both standard paper and card stock, and tested their strength by piling books on top.

Joseph, though smiling, worked with great concentration and precision, carefully piling the books one at a time on the pillars. The card stock circle proved to be the strongest, holding 50 books, which was more than he had guessed.

“It held almost all the books,” he said. “Wow! The circle is pretty strong.”

McLaughlin explained why the circle was the strongest, as it doesn’t have any edges and the load is distributed evenly.

Joseph’s mother, Roula Maalouf, said she frequently brings her son to the program, and sometimes they meet up with friends at the library. 

“I never have to drag him here,” she said, though, “Sometimes, I have to drag him out.”

McLaughlin said later this summer the program will have a clean up day at a local park and in August, she will work with the children on making no-sew fleece blankets for Project Linus, which provides blankets to children in need.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].