Kids are starting their first full week of summer vacation. But a summer without learning can lead to what's known as the summer slide, which can set students back as they head into the next school year.

Fortunately, there are ways to keep those young minds sharp. The library has many options to help keep parents and children busy this summer. John Spears, the director of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, talked about what they have to offer.

There's a summer reading contest that goes on from June to August. Some kids need an incentive to get reading, and the library has some pretty sweet ones. The program's theme is "All Together Now" and it emphasizes kindness, friendship and unity. All you have to do is read books, write a quick review online about the book you read, and you'll win a prize. Kids can win a Kindle Fire, a Nintendo Switch Lite, Legos or Magna tiles. 

The 37 locations in Erie County also have Take and Make kits that help kids' critical thinking skills and teach them how to manipulate things when they are constructing a craft. The library also offers Battle of the Books for students entering grades six through nine this fall. Kids can read books and then engage in a trivia competition.

"Yeah, something good for the kids' minds," Spears said. "And I will say I've been a part of that, all the books and other libraries that I've been in as well as this one, and the amount of detail that these kids remember from these books ... it is absolutely amazing and it's really inspiring to see how in-depth they really read these books and they understand what's happening in them."

The library isn't just books. People can also borrow sports equipment from some of the libraries; enjoy story time at Canalside; and get their brains working at the library's Launch Pad Makerspace.

All the programs offered at the library, including library cards, are free.