By SABRINA BERNDT

Washington Daily News

One entertainer is looking to make libraries more exciting for local kids through danceable, but educational, performances.

The BHM Regional Library is sponsoring Scooter Hayes concerts throughout eastern North Carolina from July 23 to July 25. A children’s entertainer, BHM is hoping Hayes will be the highlight of the lively summer program for local children.

“He’s a storyteller, rapper and children’s librarian,” said BHM Library youth director Lou Hunley. “He had to do this project for grad school on the Dewey Decimal System, so he came up with this idea to do a rap, and that’s kind of how he got started.”

Originally from Wilmington, Hayes has become a library superstar with his Melvil Dewey and Book Wrangler characters. Along with performing at different libraries, Hayes has released two children’s albums, encouraging kids to utilize the library and learn about the Dewey Decimal System, and regularly posts a web series on YouTube as the Book Wrangler, where he explores the wild in search of books.

Hayes also created a reading program, dubbed Rap Battle of the Books, which helps children learn to read accurately and quickly.

Touring eastern North Carolina, Hayes will be performing at the Aurora-Hazel W. Guilford Memorial Library in Aurora at 10 a.m. July 23; Williamston’s Martin Memorial Library at 2 p.m. July 23; Robersonville Public Library at 10 a.m. July 24; Bath Community Library at 2 p.m. July 24; Belhaven Public Library at 10 a.m. July 25; and Hyde County Public Library in Engelhard at 2 p.m. July 25.

Going strong since June, the BHM Library’s summer program has successfully attracted local children’s attention with storytelling events, an inflatable planetarium, imitation dinosaur eggs and more. For example, 694 people attended the StarLab event, including all four participating locations.

“This is the first summer we’ve done programs at headquarters in a while, and we’re still working on getting ourselves out there,” Hunley said. “(The kids) seem to have a really good time.”