MARION — In June, Elizabeth Taber Library threw a block party event to open up the summer in Marion. But now, as the sun incrementally sets a little earlier and dog days turn to school days, the summer ends.

Taber Library held a bash Friday, Aug. 23 to mark the season’s close — and serve as an early kickoff to the fall. 

Besides celebrating the finish to the sunshine season, the bash is the “unofficial close” of the library’s summer reading program, according to library director Elizabeth Sherry.

The program helps “prevent the ‘summer slide,’ which is when kids stop reading and their brains stop being able to absorb information,” Sherry said.

Just as summer is a unique season for Marion, as the population grows significantly, it’s a unique season for the library, according to Sherry. 

“We see a huge influx of people over the summer, so we want to make sure that they have a ton to do at the library, whether they’re temporary residents or people who live here yearlong,” she said.

Taber’s summer programming included visits from authors and animals. Days after a petting zoo came to the library’s lawn in July, a temporary “museum” exploring an important bodily function visited the building. 

Entertainment at the Friday bash included s’mores making, lawn games and music. There was also tie-dyeing — for scrunchies, bandanas and Elizabeth Taber Library T-shirts.

“We had a ton of fun this summer,” Sherry said.