The Lincoln County Public Library’s summer reading program kicks off at 2 p.m. Wednesday with the return of magician Dorian LaChance.

LaChance performed at last year’s summer reading program and was a big hit, Youth Services Librarian Kasie Eckman said.

“I called him and I just took a chance,” Eckman said. “He was great. He talked about reading. He did magic, but he incorporated the values of reading and being a good person.”

This year, the program theme is “On Your Mark, Get Set… Read.” Eckman said she intends to incorporate healthy habits into the program.

“It’s all about sports,” Eckman said. “We’re really excited. We want to help kids understand that sports is fun. To be a good athlete you have to practice, you have to respect people and you have to eat right.”

Approximately 500 students participated in the reading program last year, and Eckman hopes just as many will join the fun this year.

“The first week we’re going to do boot camp,” she said. “So we’ll talk about being in shape and practicing. You have to practice to be a good reader just like an athlete has to.”

Eckman said there will be regular guests on Wednesdays, with LaChance starting things off. Children, ages 11 and older, will also get the chance to visit the Teen Wing during programming, where Eckman said there will be a number of activities. Participants will have a chance to print objects using a 3-D printer on loan from the Mississippi Library Commission.

“We also have programming during the month of June on Mondays and Wednesdays,” Eckman said. “We’ll read a few books, sing a few songs and you can do either a craft or an activity. It’s free. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

Wednesdays in June will also feature adult coloring and reading, according to Eckman. Adults will get the chance to color while listening to an audio book.