SHELF LIFE

San Antonio Public Library packs summer with free family fun

A representative demonstrates a parrot to a crowd at the San Antonio Public Library

Does the no talking rule apply to parrots?

Photo courtesy of San Antonio Public Library

San Antonio Public Library is offering far more than good reads in the coming months. The free Summer with SAPL series runs from June 1 through July 31 at all locations, providing a solution for any Alamo City kid who has ever whined, "I'm bored," on break.

Though books won’t be the sole focus, SAPL is still giving youth the chance to learn. Local guests will share their knowledge of art, science, discovery, and more. Teens can choose their own adventure by exploring music production, tech, and video gaming.

The event series also comes with plenty of giveaways — t-shirts for teens, car magnets for adults, and the return of the library’s popular paleta bookmarks, which feature a new collectible character and curated reading list each Monday through July 20.

“We want our libraries to be places where families can come together, have fun, and continue learning throughout the summer,” explains Library Director Sukrit Goswami in a release. “I am proud of the thoughtful work our staff has done to create free opportunities that are welcoming and accessible for our entire community.”

Here are some highlights you won't want to miss

:Professor Universe and the Carbon Conundrum
On June 2, local comedian, clown, and classroom instructor Dallas Atkins dons his Professor Universe persona for an exploration of the basis of all life on Earth, carbon. Think of it like Doctor Who for chemistry instead of time travel. The good professor will explain the journey of carbon from deep inside the Earth until it helped form planet and animal life on the surface. Shows will take place at the Igo and Pan American Libraries.

Illusions by Blake
For more than two decades, San Antonio's Richard Blake has wowed audiences of all ages with prestidigitation and wonder. His various shows will cover card tricks, scarf illusions, and other bits of sleight-of-hand. Be sure to take the kids to the YA fantasy section once fully magicked-up. Shows run June 3-July 25.

Animal Encounters from SeaWorld and Happy Tails
At various locations throughout the summer, the San Antonio Public Library is getting wild. Representatives from both SeaWorld and Happy Tails Entertainment will tote along various beasts and birds so kids can get an up-close look at how the animal kingdom lives, eats, and grows. These events tend to be extremely popular, so contact your local branch about the best way to secure a spot.

SAPL rounds off the programming with plenty of chances to get a little messy, including Winter in Summer activities with crafts and real ice, and the chance to create chalk murals. A full list of events can be found here.

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TALL TALES

Search for missing Hill Country giraffe Gracie comes up short

Real Country Animal Rescue/ Facebook

Where can Gracie be?

A giraffe named Gracie is missing in Texas, and the search for her has become a tall order.

Gracie, who is about 3 years old, has been missing for nearly two weeks after escaping her enclosure at Cedar Hollow Ranch in the Texas Hill Country, said Vic Jones, who owns the remote property about 100 miles west of San Antonio. He said Wednesday that Gracie had wandered into a part of the privately owned preserve that other giraffes previously avoided.

Jones said he has sent up helicopters to look for Gracie, a few sightings have trickled in, and a $5,000 reward is on the table.

But the giraffe, which stands roughly the height of a tree, hasn't turned up.

“She wound up going up and feeding in an area on the hillside and the rocky ledges that none of the other giraffes had ever gone on before,” Jones said. “And when she came down off of there, she came down on the wrong side of the gate.”

The ranch is in rural Real County, where its roughly 2,700 residents were put on alert to be on the lookout for a missing giraffe. Jones said the search area is extremely remote, and the likelihood of Gracie encountering any humans is low.

“People are not in danger of her because she’s not around people,” Jones said. 'She’s out in very, very rough, heavily wooded lands."

The Texas Hill Country has one of the largest concentrations of exotic captive animals in the country. Real County Sheriff Nathan Johnson said the mild climate and rugged terrain seems to serve as a good stand-in for most of the animals' native African environments.

He rattled off a list of animals that have gone missing over the years, especially after floods, but said this was his first giraffe.

“I’ve had wildebeests, I've had water buffalo, I've had monkeys, I’ve had zebras, all go missing,” Johnson said. “Sometimes we recover them, and sometimes we don’t.”

While the middle of Texas is not a giraffe's native environment, Jones said Gracie should be able to find plenty of leaves and other vegetation to eat. He said other animals were not likely to bother her.

Jones said he initially had helicopters searching an area of about 7,500 acres (3,000 hectares) with no luck. A few days later, there was a report that Gracie was spotted to the south.

But by the time they could search the area, Jones said, she was already gone.

“We're always two three days late for where the information is coming from, so that makes it tough,” Jones said.

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