SRP numbers were out of this world!

The final numbers are in, and 2019 was another stellar year for the Summer Reading Program at Rolling Hills Library, with our theme being a Universe of Stories.

We had 2,794 people register for the summer program, and 1,447 of them (or 51.8 percent) met or exceeded their reading goals. That’s an increase of 139 over the 2018 success rate, when just 43.5 percent of participants met their goal.

Participants can select how to keep track of their reading in our program, choosing the number of books read, minutes read or pages read. This year, our participants read 23,317 books, 56,151 minutes and 127,844 pages, exceeding goals in each category (with pages read seeing a 42.7 percent increase over 2018 pages read).

We also put on 140 summer classes and events at the Belt and Savannah branches, drawing 3,764 participants.

Cake pans added to library's recipe of materials to check out

Fishing poles, ukuleles, folding tables and wi-fi hotspots are just some of the less traditional items available to check out from the library. Add cake pans to that list now.

More than 25 different pans can be checked out for up to three weeks, just like most other library materials. The majority of the pans were donated by library member Sandy Mastrangelo, who used to have a small cake decorating business but is now retired.

The idea to give the pans to the library came from a friend who saw a similar collection at an Iowa library. She took a picture and sent it to Mastrangelo.

“I hope this generates some new life for the pans,” she said. “To me, it’s a dying profession because now everyone wants cupcakes.”

The pans are in the shapes of animals, a flower, toy soldier and Disney, Sesame Street and cartoon characters. They can be viewed online at the library website, rhcl.org. Look for the Library Catalog tab under the Technology drop-down menu. Then choose Booklists under the What’s Hot listing of items. The pans are stored at the Belt Branch but are available to all library members.

Mastrangelo will discuss how to use the pans and how to decorate cakes in a program at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Belt Branch.

The pans are another out-of-the ordinary item to provide patrons who might need something for a limited time but don’t want to purchase them.

“If you were going to have a garage sale, you probably wouldn’t go out and buy a 6-foot-long table and use it just once. You can check those out from us,” said Library Director Michelle Mears. “And how many Fred Flintstone cakes will you need to make in your life? Probably just one.”

The library also checks out some technology items. Wi-fi hotspots provide internet connections for people who don't have internet service at home or when they travel. Families can check out computer tablets loaded with educational games for preschoolers. And Wonder Bibles are audio players loaded with the Old and New Testaments.

Adults who want to obtain a high school diploma can check out Hiset prep kits that contain a laptop computer and mobile wi-fi hotspot for extended checkout times. The kits work in conjunction with the MOLearns.com program from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and are free to check out. Information about the kits can be found online at rhcl.org/high-school.