Stillwater Public Library will welcome a hometown favorite to the “Summer @ Your Library” reading program.  On Tuesday, July 9, singer and songwriter Monty Harper will take kids for a rollicking good time at an interactive "underground" sing-along.  Harper’s concert is filled with original songs which tell stories, celebrate reading and tickle the funny bone. 

Harper will perform at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.  For more information, including song lyrics and a schedule of appearances, visit www.MontyHarper.com.

“Everyone gets excited when Monty comes to perform,” said Elizabeth Murray, children’s librarian. “He does a great job immersing himself into the theme and bringing it alive for the children.”

Harper will perform new material celebrating the library’s “Dig into Reading” summer reading theme as well as updated favorites.

“I wrote a fun new song called ‘Dig In,’ which kicks off the program,” said Harper. "Another new song, ‘Bring Back the Black-Footed Ferret’ was written this spring with fourth graders in a songwriting residency program at Richmond Elementary. I also updated ‘Silly Song’ and ‘Hanging out with Heroes at the Library’ with new verses to fit this year’s theme.”

This summer marks Harper’s twenty-third season of performing in libraries.  He will present his “Dig In” program at more than thirty libraries in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Alabama, but says nothing compares to performing in Stillwater.

“The Stillwater library is one of my very favorite places to play, and not just because it's my home town,” said Harper.  “The audiences are engaged and attentive, parents and kids enjoy the programs together, and we have fantastic sponsors, staff, and volunteers.  I don't know of any other library that matches the size and quality of the Stillwater program!”

Harper began dabbling in songwriting in 1989, when he entered the Master’s program in mathematics at Oklahoma State University. He found he had a knack for entertaining neighborhood kids with his songs, and by the time he completed his degree in 1992 he was fielding a slew of requests for appearances at schools and libraries. Two decades of summer library programs have lent meaning to Harper’s work.