Unshelved: Sign Up for the GCCL Summer Reading Program

The library is a marvelous place with wonders between the covers of its books. I still remember the first time I went to the grade-school library with my class. I was fascinated by the many books just waiting for me to delve into them. There were times when I was a child that it was easier to disappear into the pages than to deal with real life.

I could go to any time or place in history in both fiction and nonfiction books. In fiction, I could go to places and times that didn’t exist outside the author’s imagination. I was a voracious reader. By the time I was a teenager I never went anywhere without a book in my purse.

When my kids and grandkids were born I read to them. I wanted them to experience the same delights that I had as a child. I found it very moving to share with them some of the same stories that had been read to me.

Our upcoming music-themed Summer Reading Program, “Libraries Rock,” is a great way to interact with your kids and make reading fun. Students lose two months of reading skills over the summer if they don’t read. By the end of grade six, students who have experienced summer reading loss over the years are an average of two years behind their peers. 

According to a study conducted in late April 2015 by the US Department of Education and the National Institute of Literacy, 32 million adults in the United States can’t read above a fifth-grade level, and 19 percent of high school graduates can’t read. This contributes to a host of problems later in life from limited job options to social welfare issues.

One of the best things you can do is to let your children see you read for enjoyment. Encourage them to find stories that they enjoy, and try different types of books.

My younger daughter struggled with transitioning from easy books to chapter books. When she found the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, something just clicked. The hybrid traditional book/graphic novel style was the boost she needed and she was able to advance to traditional chapter books.

All ages are welcome to participate in our summer reading program. We have activity sheets and reading logs and special programs to expand your horizons. We have books in a variety of reading levels. Come see us if you need help finding just the right book. Prizes will be awarded. But the biggest prize is the reward that being a proficient reader brings.

You can sign-up on our website,www.glasgowlibrary.org or at the library on Monday, June 18.

Hope to see you there!