For every upside, there's a downside. Take summer vacation from school, for example. For every morning the students-in-hiatus get to sleep late, there's the possibility of another day hanging around the house, watching the same half-dozen shows on Nickelodeon over and over again.

Enter the Metropolitan Library System's 2006 Summer at the Library.

MLS's biggest program of the year - Summer at the Library - kicks off June 1 at 17 libraries in Oklahoma County , and more than 10,000 children and teens are expected to participate.

They will sign up for the chance to read great books.

They will sign up for the chance to read and win great prizes.

And they will sign up, because their parents know that children who read during the summer fare better in school come Fall!

The program will continue through July 31, and it's not just for young children. Teens will have a program of their own - complete with prizes only a teen could love.

"This year's children's theme is 'Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales,' " said MLS Children's Services Coordinator Kristin Smith, "and children - infants to pre-teens - are invited to sign-up to listen or read."

"The 2006 Teen Summer at the Library promises to be one of the best yet," added MLS young adult services coordinator Emily Williams, who announced that the theme for teens is "Creature Feature" - a fun take on creatures, both the monster kind and the four-footed kind.

"Where else," Smith observed, "could you receive free gifts and prizes just for reading books or listening to books being read?

"Where else could you see a free show performed by the Lucky Penny Players, Rhythmically Speaking, 2X4 Productions, Al Bostick, and many other favorite storytellers?

"And where else could you see free monster movies, create a "Build-A-Creature" and see and touch reptiles?" added Williams.

As always, MLS and the sponsors of Summer at the Library have come up with a variety of incentives for everyone who signs up for the program, and they've made it easier for Spanish-speaking customers by including materials for both programs in Spanish.

For children who sign up, goodies will include a Sonic sack full of sign-up gifts and a free pass to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. Children will also receive prizes for the reading and listening they do through out the summer months of June and July. These prizes will include a reading award ribbon, a ticket to a performance of the Oklahoma Children's Theatre, restaurant coupons and tickets to Library Night at the Ballpark on August 7, when the Oklahoma Redhawks will take on the Tuscon Sidewinders at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City .

In addition to these prizes, children can earn chances for a grand drawing prize at the end of the summer. Drawing prizes will be awarded at each library during the first week of August and will include Frontier City/Whitewater Bay tickets, LaserQuest passes, MLS canvas book bags, movie passes, and a $100 Target shopping spree!

Teens will be eligible to win prizes of their own, including "Unleashed" dog tags and a pass to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History just for signing up.

"The prizes are exciting this year," Williams said. "After eight books, eight hours of listening to audio books or reading 800 pages, you will receive a really cool baseball cap that has a picture of a wolf and the words "Creature Feature" on it! They'll also receive restaurant coupons and Oklahoma RedHawks tickets, too, depending on which reading goal they have completed.

" And, after every goal completed, they get the chance to enter a "teen specific" drawing for Laser Quest passes, an iPod shuffle and a $100 VISA shopping card."

In addition to winning prizes, teens can also participate in a variety of programs and activities.

"They can learn about reptiles, make cool creature masks and learn about creepy creatures in art history," Williams added.

"All of this is free, of course, and the classes are presented by professionals."

For more information about Summer at the Library, call any of MLS' 17 libraries or visit our website at www.metrolibrary.org.

No need to raise a fuss or a holler this year, MLS has the cure for the summertime blues.

Sponsors for the Summer at the Library program include:

Oklahoma Redhawks, Sonic, El Chico, Oklahoma Children's Theatre, Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Oklahoma Arts Council, LaserQuest, Arts Council of Oklahoma City, Hometown Buffet, Frontier City/Whitewater Bay, Oklahoma City YardDawgz, The Library Endowment Trust and the Friends of the Metropolitan Library System.

The Metropolitan Library System of Oklahoma County includes 12 libraries and five extension libraries. Libraries include Belle Isle, Capitol Hill, Ralph Ellison, Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library and Southern Oaks in Oklahoma City, as well as Bethany, Choctaw, Del City, Edmond, Midwest City, Village and Warr Acres. Extensions are located in the communities of Harrah, Jones, Luther and Nicoma Park and include Wright Library in Oklahoma City . You can also reach us at www.metrolibrary.org.