Now, I can't speak for other Summer Reading Program performers, but when it comes to reserving me for your library, I'd recommend doing it as soon as possible.
There are a couple of libraries who have me every year at the same time and after my show they tell me to reserve that date for the next year. I also know that I need to block out nearly an entire week in July for the Lincoln Public Libraries.
You also have to bear in mind that the regional Presenters Fair usually brings in a lot of booking for me. Last year the fair was in mid November.
I would especially encourage you to book me early if there are certain dates or times you absolutely need to have. I know that there are some libraries that are very rigid about their schedule and ONLY have programs on specific days at specific times.
There is also one week per summer that I am traditionally unavailable. The Society of American Magicians has their convention in July. Usually it's around the 4th of July, but it has been known to vary. As a National Officer in the S.A.M., I have a responsibility to be at these conventions. (Okay, it's also a lot of fun and I get to see friends from all over the world, too.)
Believe it or not, I don't just perform at libraries during the summer. I also do several child care facilities, summer school programs, Vacation Bible Schools, fairs, festivals and neighborhood group parties. Because I love doing libraries though, I hold off on marketing to these other groups until after I've given libraries the first shot at booking me.
Here are some hints for you. It seems like Mondays and Fridays are the last days to fill up on my calendar, so if you can arrange your schedule to have programs on those days, there's a better chance that I'll be open. On a related note, a lot of libraries like to have me either kick off their summer reading program or wrap it up. So, early June and late July tends to fill up pretty quickly. Also, remember that I certainly don't mind doing evening programs. In fact, I love them. Evening programs give more parents a better opportunity to come out and enjoy the show with their children. Some libraries have also had me perform on Saturday mornings with great success.
Finally, remember that although I am an Omaha magician, I do travel throughout the Midwest. If you are with a library outside of the Omaha area, I'd highly recommend that you talk with other libraries in your area and choose a date when you can have me come out and do 3 or 4 libraries in one day. The more libraries you can get for me, the lower my price can be for everyone. Trust me, this isn't some sort of marketing ploy. It makes economic sense. If I have to drive 200 miles each way to do one library show, I'm going to need to charge more to cover my added expenses and time. But if I can book 3 shows in the same area, I can split the expenses among the three shows and make it less of an expense for all of the libraries.
I hope this didn't scare you off. I still have several dates available for the upcoming "Fizz, Boom, Read" Summer Reading Program magic show. Give me a call or send me an e-mail and let's see what we can work out.