Library to Launch Summer Reading Program

Churchill County Library will kick off its annual Summer Reading Program on June 6 with a free community event featuring magician Larry Wilson, a bounce house, and family activities.

The kickoff event runs from 10 a.m. to noon at the library, with reading logs open through July 31 and grand prize winners announced Aug. 4. The event was funded through a sponsorship from Financial Horizons Credit Union.

According to librarian Magdalena Biar, “The Summer Reading Program is an eight-week initiative to encourage kids, teens, and adults to read throughout the summer.”

Readers track their reading either online by number of books or on paper by number of books, hours, or pages. All forms of reading count toward the Summer Reading Program, including fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, magazines, e-books, and audiobooks. There are four age categories for participation: ages 0 to 5, ages 6 to 11, ages 12 to 17, and adults.

Historically, the Summer Reading Program was designed to prevent the “summer slide” in students, in which children’s reading levels drop over summer break.

“Reading for fun is the most effective way for a child to keep those reading skills strong outside of school,” Biar explained. “Besides the academic benefits, summer reading is a great way to beat boredom and, of course, to experience the joy of earning prizes.”

Biar also explained that the Churchill County Library uses themes developed by the Collaborative Summer Library Program, or CLSP. This year’s theme is “Unearth a Story,” which includes dinosaurs, archaeology, and geology.

Each time participants bring their reading logs back to the library, they get to pick out a prize book to keep and a brag tag to add to their necklace chains. Participants are also automatically entered into the grand prize drawing.

To register for the program, visit bit.ly/CCLSummerReading or register in person at the kickoff event June 6. Participants who register online should still plan to come to the library to pick up a registration bag with the reading log and instructions.