Scavenger hunts are fun. You get clues, hit the path and discover things you may have not seen before.
That's the idea behind a photo scavenger hunt being hosted by the Guymon Public Library in the month of July, with photographers of all levels and ages, whether they have a professional rig or a cell phone. All it takes is a little reading and footwork, and everyone can participate.
The GPL Town Photo Scavenger Hunt is set to bring Guymonites to places all around the City of Guymon, both current and historical.
"What we're wanting to do is use it to get people to get out about town and find out about some of the history, where significant places are," Librarian Blair Henson said. "Like me, I still don't know a whole lot about Guymon, and I've been here five years."
The hunt is set not only to get people out and around town, but also to the library, where the offerings go beyond just books.
The hunt will take place July 3 through July 27, and the Guymon Daily Herald will have the hints in print for intrepid scavenger hunters to get their collection of photos. Hints will be printed in different locations in the daily publication for hunters to find before heading out to get the next item. Those will a full set of photos from each item will earn an entry into a drawing for photography themed prizes, including an Images of Guymon book by Dr. Sara Richter, and other photography books and items.
Henson says Melyn Johnson, Director of Main Street Guymon, assisted with the list of items and locations for those on the hunt to locate. Items can be submitted to the library in person at 1718 N. Oklahoma St., on the Guymon Public Library & Arts Center page on Facebook, or can be emailed directly to Henson at blair.henson@guymonok.org. A complete set of photos must be submitted in order to be entered into the drawing.
The scavenger hunt isn't the end of everything taking place at the library. The library is currently hosting its annual summer reading program for children, young adults and adults, with activities for young people taking place regularly. A beginner's yoga group continues to gather on Thursday evenings at 5:30 p.m., giving those who need an opportunity for some quiet and some physical activity combined to stop by to participate; adults are welcome.
A monthly themed display at the movie shelves near the front desk is rotated with different themes as well. June saw National Safety Month. At least one theme for July will be Parks and Recreation, with other themes in the works to help patrons discover some of the variety of subjects the public library has to offer. A full display for young adults includes books, films and audio books to help encourage reading with an offering of the large collection available to Guymon's young people.
The library also has panels on display with some information from Pioneer Days, outlining a little of Guymon's rich history, and a World War I display is affixed to a wall in the main area. Cards and board games are available in the cafe space just off of the main library collection area, where teens and young adults can stop by to take a break out of the heat and enjoy a fun game with friends.
For the small folks, there are some fun age appropriate activities in the works to stay tuned for. The library children's librarian says there will be different story times, with a My First Story Time for ages 1-2, a bilingual Story Time for preschoolers aged 3-4, and a craft day for elementary aged students on Aug. 1 themed 'Respect for Parents Day'.
The library is always looking for ways to engage and serve the public, and offers art displays in the main collection area, a genealogy research department, meeting rooms, movies and audiobooks for checkout and a wide range of books with content for the individual and for families. To keep up with new programs, visit the Guymon Public Library online at facebook.com/guymonpublib, or visit in person to find out details on the latest.