Families planning a Fourth of July getaway can skip the store and head to the Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) instead. Patrons of the NPL may borrow a Check Out Louisiana Pass and a Geaux Explore Backpack at no cost, giving any household everything it needs for a day at a Louisiana state park or historic site. Each adult account holder may obtain one pass, admitting a single passenger vehicle and its occupants to any participating state park or historic site. Geaux Explore Backpacks may be checked out for up to three weeks and include travel guides, binoculars, a compass, and a magnifying glass for exploring the outdoors together.

The NPL kicked off Read to Soar Tuesday, June 23, an eight-week literacy program that pairs children’s storybooks with singing, dancing, and crafts to reach kids who learn in different ways. Every participating child receives free books, a backpack, snacks at each session, and a certificate of participation upon completing the program. Registration is required, and families can still join the program on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon by calling, texting, or emailing Katrina Jordan at 318-277-1871 or tofearlyliteracy@gmail.com.

Dinosaurs returned to the NPL’s Children’s Area Thursday, June 25, drawing excited crowds for The Dinosaur Experience. The free show is part of the NPL’s 2026 Summer Reading Program (SRP), held Wednesdays and Thursdays at the NPL’s Natchitoches and Campti branches as well as the Riverbank Stage. The SRP will pause for the Fourth of July holiday and return July 8 and 9 with a puppet show story time by Kid Six Productions:

• July 8 (Wed.): 10 AM at the Riverbank Stage; 2 PM at the Northeast Branch
• July 9 (Thur.): 2 PM at the Main Branch; 6 PM at the Main Branch

“Whether it’s a backpack full of field guides or a story time full of songs, the library is here to make summer learning easy and fun for every family in the parish,” said NPL Deputy Director Alan Niette. “These programs cost nothing to join because a big reason the library exists is so that every child and every family in Natchitoches Parish has a place to explore, read, and grow together.”

The NPL’s summer calendar continues with weekly yoga on Thursdays at 6 PM at the Main Branch; back-to-school charm making for teens ages 12-17 on July 7, 6-7:30 PM; a library scavenger hunt for teens ages 12-17 on July 9, 3-4:30 PM; and a seed swap-meet for adults on July 9, 10-11:30 AM. Registration is required for these programs. To sign up, patrons must call 318-238-9224.

Residents can find a listing for all the library’s monthly programs at the NPL’s new events website: thismonth.natlib.org.