When summer gets near, librarians have a tendency to mellow out. Library patrons actually notice that we are more fun to be around. We quit obsessing about Native American dwellings, the first law of thermodynamics, how a starfish breathes, and accelerated reader lists. We turn our attention to fun … music fun, zoo fun, art fun, balloon fun, movie fun and, of course, reading fun. "Catch the Beat at Your Library" summer reading schedule will be out soon, and I’m looking forward to a good time. Jessica has planned a great summer of field trips, story times and special events. There is also the reading club for children who have completed grades 1-6. It is commonly known that children who continue reading throughout the summer do better when school resumes in the fall. Even if "fun" isn’t your highest priority, reading skills are definitely high on the list of important things for your children. We are collecting supplies for some of our art projects this summer and we could use your help. We need: cardboard paper towel or wrapping paper tubes, baby food jars, egg cartons, buttons, large brown paper bags, match boxes, twisty ties, CD cases, fishing line, Altoid tins, and a lot more things. We have a whole list posted at the library and we would appreciate any donations you could make. Now, what are adults going to be doing this summer? Are they going to be lounging on the deck, sipping a mint julep (or diet Pepsi) and reading one of the fabulous new novels hot off the press for the summer. I have a huge order coming in next week. So be sure you make time for your own personal reading enjoyment. New on the shelf this week (for Memorial weekend) is "Dead Watch" by John Sandford. It’s early morning in Virginia, and a woman is on the run. Her husband, a former U.S. Senator, has been missing for days. Kidnapped? Murdered? She doesn't know, but she thinks she knows who's involved, and why. And that she's next. Hours later in Washington, D.C., a cell phone rings. The White House chief of staff needs Jacob Winter now. His chief investigator and an Army Intelligence veteran, Winter knows how to move quickly and decisively, but he's never faced a problem like this. The disappearances are bad, but when the dead body shows up barbed-wired to a tree, Winter knows there is much worse to come. And soon there is. Winter will have to use all his resources not only to prevail but also to survive. And so will the nation ... "At Risk", by Patricia Cornwell. A Massachusetts state investigator is called home from a class at the National Forensic Academy. His boss, the district attorney, is planning to run for governor. As a showcase she's planning to use a new crime initiative called At Risk. Their motto is, "Any crime, any time." She's been looking for a way to employ cutting-edge DNA technology on an unsolved 20-year-old murder — in Tennessee. If her office solves the case, it ought to make them all look pretty good.Her investigator is not so sure about this plan, but before he can open his mouth, a shocking piece of violence intervenes, an act that shakes up their lives and the lives of everyone around them. It's not a random event. Is it personal? Is it professional? Whatever it is, the implications are very bad indeed . . . and they're about to get much worse. Alert: We will be closed Monday, May 29, in observance of Memorial Day.