Sponsored by East Baton Rouge Parish Library

This summer, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library is inviting our community to slow down, dig in and grow something new – whether that’s a love of reading, a garden in your own backyard or the skills to repair and repurpose the things you already own. At a brand-new Fix-It Faire on May 16 at the Main Library, residents can bring in broken or worn items and learn how to repair them with the help of skilled volunteer “fixers.” Beginning on June 1, under the theme “Plant a Seed, Read,” the library’s 2026 Summer Reading Challenge will offer fun, hands-on ways for all ages to learn, create and connect.

Introducing the Fix-It Faire: Repair, reuse and reimagine

The library is launching its first-ever Fix-It Faire on Saturday, May 16. Inspired by the popularity of Maker Faires, sewing and soldering demos, bike repair stations and hands-on “adulting” classes, the Fix-It Faire is designed for anyone who’s ever asked, “Can this be fixed?” instead of “Where do I throw this away?”

At the Fix-It Faire, community “fixers” will share their skills at different tables, helping attendees learn how to:

• Mend torn clothing or sew on a button
• Repair jewelry, lamps or small household items
• Get ideas for upcycling or repurposing things that can’t be fully repaired

The goal of the event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is empowerment: giving people the confidence to improve their immediate environment, extend the life of what they own and reduce waste. The Fix-It Faire also reflects a growing interest in the “slow” economy – buying less, caring more for what we have and choosing quality and creativity over disposability.

Stop the summer slide, grow a lifelong reader

For children, teens and adults alike, reading is a habit that grows with steady care. That’s why the Summer Reading Challenge focuses on weekly engagement, not just one big burst of reading at the start of the season. Instead of racing through a stack of books in a day and then stopping, participants are encouraged to read a little bit every week, just like practicing piano, learning a new sport or tending a garden.

Families are encouraged to sign up and track their reading through the online platform Beanstack (ebrpl.beanstack.org). Participants earn chances for weekly prize drawings, giving them a reason to keep coming back to the library, discovering new stories and building skills all summer long.

Many of this summer’s activities will highlight nature, gardening and the outdoors, tying into the “Plant a Seed, Read” theme. The library will be promoting its Seed Library and other growing-related resources, helping patrons explore everything from starting a backyard garden to learning more about the environment. Learn more at ebrpl.com/events-classes.

Whether you’re logging picture books with your child, earning incentives as a teen reader, discovering new authors as an adult or learning how to give your favorite items a second life, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library is here to help you plant a seed and watch it grow. To learn more, visit your local library branch or find more information including upcoming events at ebrpl.com.