Joyce Steiner, youth services coordinator for the Lawrence Public Library, is excited for the library’s annual Summer Reading Program to begin next week.

She said the program, which requires participants to read and log 16 books, is a great way to develop motor, listening and pattern recognition skills in young readers.

But Erin Wood’s three children, ages 4, 6 and 8, are just excited for the pool pass and paperback they will receive as part of their prize bags after completing the program.

“The kids love to read and they love having the motivation to write down all the books that they’ve read to get the fun coupon prizes,” Wood said. “They all want to finish it, so they all want to read all the books they can.”

Wood said her family had participated in the program for the past three years and planned to sign up again, as well as participate in the library’s kickoff event from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 30.

The theme for this year’s program is “Be Creative @ Your Library.” Steiner said event organizers tried to incorporate the fine arts and creativity for the kickoff party.

She said the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra would be playing two mini-concerts in the library auditorium at 2:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. while belly dancers, tap dancers and American Indian dancers perform outside.

Children, teens and adults can sign up for the Summer Reading Program starting Tuesday at the library.

Shelly Platz-Davidson, director of Stepping Stones Inc., said the center’s day care staff had been taking summer camp children to the library to participate in the reading program for the past 15 years.

“It keeps reading fun for them,” Platz-Davidson said. “Having trips to the library keeps it fun but it still keeps them working on their reading skills.”

Platz-Davidson said that, combined with the prospect of various prizes, choosing their own books was a great way to keep children motivated and reading over the summer.

Last year more than 2,500 children completed the program.

The teen program is called “Express Yourself @ Your Library” and the adult program is “Master the Art of Reading.”