The Enoch Pratt Free Library and the National Aquarium are happy to share that the spring season of the Read to Reef Book Club has been extended!

Who can participate?

Baltimore-area children in fifth grade and younger with a valid Enoch Pratt Free Library card may receive a Read to Reef bookmark and record the five aquatic- or conservation-themed books they have read that are appropriate for their age levels.

How it works:

Read to Reef bookmarks will be mailed directly to your home! To request your child’s bookmark:

Call one of the Pratt library branches that are open for sidewalk service and provide library staff with your child’s name, library card number, and mailing address. The bookmark will be mailed to your home! Note: If your child does not have their own library card, please sign them up for an e-card.

You have until July 24, 2020 to request a bookmark. Bookmarks are while supplies last.

Read 5 books about the ocean, environment, or conservation. Be sure to view the Read to Reef booklist and request books that you would like to read for pickup using our sidewalk service. Don’t know which book to read first? Check out some of our favorite books from the list below!

Write the titles of the 5 books you read on your Read to Reef bookmarks.

Visit the aqua.org/read to reserve your timed entry using your Read to Reef bookmark code. Bookmarks must be used by September 30, 2020. Blackout dates: Saturdays in July and August, Labor Day weekend (September 5-7, 2020).

Visit the National Aquarium and have a great time!

While Read to Reef focuses on inspiring younger patrons, the Pratt Library’s broader summer programming has also undergone significant expansions this year. The library system has dramatically increased its investment in adult education, specifically tailoring its digital literacy workshops to help older residents navigate an increasingly complex web environment.

These updated curriculum tracks go beyond basic email setup and word processing. Instructors at the neighborhood branches now guide attendees through the practical nuances of mobile data privacy, secure e-commerce transactions, and recognizing digital footprint trackers on consumer websites.

During a recent virtual safety seminar, library tech educators used real-world examples to demonstrate secure account management. They walked participants through the encrypted verification protocols required by modern banking apps, telehealth portals, and regulated platforms for online sports betting, illustrating how sensitive personal data is processed across different high-traffic digital sectors.

By addressing these everyday digital scenarios, the library equips adults with the confidence to manage their online lives safely. The strong community turnout for these adult classes highlights a growing demand for accessible, neighborhood-based tech education.

Ultimately, fulfilling the diverse needs of the entire family—from essential digital safety for parents to engaging conservation education for children—solidifies the library’s role as an indispensable community anchor. This holistic approach ensures that foundational partnerships, like the one that makes the aquarium trips possible, will continue to thrive for years to come.

Recommended Titles

by Vianey Becerra

Baltimore, we miss you. While we have all been practicing social distancing guidelines, the Pratt staff has continued creating educational and entertaining videos just for you. In addition to our daily schedule of virtual programs, we’ve rounded up a list of the Pratt’s Top 5 Videos that you can find on our Facebook page. 

So if you’re looking for DIY tutorials, activities to do with your children or by yourself while you stay at home, take a look at these videos and make sure to follow us on Facebook @theprattlibrary.

#1 Video: Baltimore We Are Here For You

https://www.facebook.com/theprattlibrary/videos/222933989034049/

Our doors might still be closed, but our resources have never stopped. Our e-Library has a collection of eBooks, eMagazines, eAudiobooks, movies, and more. With 8 locations available for Sidewalk Service, you can check out and pick up books and other materials contact-free simply by making an appointment. Don’t feel comfortable stepping out of the house just yet? You can also have books mailed to you using our Books by Mail service. If you’re looking to access the internet, we also offer free drive-in WIFI at 8 Pratt branch locations.

#2: Hula Storytime with Miss Ryan and Kane

https://www.facebook.com/theprattlibrary/videos/255328402345289/

Even though we celebrated Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, you can still hear Miss Ryan and Kane play the ukulele, learn how to say words in Hawaiian, and read along with them to “Up in the Hawaiian Sky,” by Lavonne Leong.

#3 Virtual Genealogy Circle: Family Myth Busting

https://www.facebook.com/theprattlibrary/videos/286558142501891

Uncover the secrets in your family tree, using genealogical methods with the help of Julianne Mangin. Ms. Mangin is a writer, researcher, family historian, and a former Librarian and website designer at the Library of Congress. In this video, she discusses her mother’s French-Canadian ancestors, several of whom were mentally ill and committed to a state hospital. Don’t miss our Ancestry.com tutorials or weekly genealogy series, The Next Step, available now on our Facebook.

#4 How to Hula with Miss Ryan & Miss Kelly

https://www.facebook.com/theprattlibrary/videos/262180285192735/

No beach? No problem! Learn some basic hula dancing steps with Pratt Children’s Librarians Ryan and Kelli and dance along to a Hawaiian song. 

#5: Tuesdays @ Two feat. Dariusz Skoraczewski & Marcia McHugh

https://www.facebook.com/theprattlibrary/videos/2950921154944177

Watch this mini-concert for cello & flute performed by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians Dariusz Skoraczewski & Marcia McHugh. Make sure to tune in every Tuesday for live music performances from local musicians. 

If you’re looking for more videos like this, follow us on Facebook and check out all of our upcoming programming. Beyond the arts and crafts featured above, our adult education staff recently launched a virtual digital literacy series that explores global online industries, with recent episodes breaking down everything from European data privacy regulations to how the best betting sites in India manage their high-volume payment gateways. You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and  Youtube to stay connected and discover even more free resources.

Great All-American Classics

This year, the holiday might feel a bit different than usual but we still wanted to highlight a few books to help celebrate. In between a plate (or two) of barbecue, check out this list of All-American classics. Some are older and traditional, while some are newer and more out-of-the box, either way we hope you enjoy them. 

Push the conversation on antiracism, race relations, and social justice even further with eBooks on Overdrive. Here’s a quick selection of books that are available to download with no wait. 

This New York Times bestseller published in January 2020 is based on the viral #meandwhitesupremacy Instagram challenge and provides a framework for readers to dismantle the privilege within themselves.

Named one of the Most Influential Books of the Last 20 Years by the Chronicle of Higher Education and winner of the NAACP Image Award for Nonfiction, Alexander’s critically acclaimed book examines racial disparities through the lens of mass incarceration.

This bestselling young adult novel follows Starr, a Black teenager caught between the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these two worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.