Library summer reading program in full swing

The Library of Graham’s annual Summer Reading Program kicked off last week in Graham, with the goal of promoting continued reading and education in Graham. The program is for children who are incoming eighth graders and down through age 3. For every two hours read and logged the child will receive six book bucks and a free book from the library, which Library of Graham Director Sherrie Gibson said happened with some kids early this year. “We already had three kids that came in here and picked up their packet and went over in the children’s area and read their two hours so yesterday (Tuesday) was the first day and we’ve already had three kids read their first two hours and get their little goody bag which is their United (Supermarkets) book bag.” The program is funded through an outside donation from Virginia’s Street estate, Gibson said. The program is meant to let students keep up with their reading skills and build upon them over the summer, she said. “This keeps them reading during the summer which increases their reading skills and when school starts everything has to come back to them because they have done nothing over the summer,” she said. “It gives them a love of reading which if you get as a child that is going to carry through as you get older.” The book bucks are fed into the creatures (children’s laundry hampers) at the library and will be drawn during the finale for prizes which include books, movies, coupons and more. Children may win more than one prize in the drawing and the more a student reads, the more chances they will have to win a prize in the finale. The children may read at their own pace but each reading log turned in must total two hours. To finish the program the child must read ten hours and the more they read, the more books they will receive. “They love it and every year I think the kids are going to get tired of these books…and every year that we do this they still love those books,” Gibson said. Every child who completes the program will receive a certificate of completion from the library and a swim pass. Children must be present at the finale in order to win a prize. Registration packets are available at the library and the program will end on July 25 with a finale filled with prize drawings. Reading logs must be turned into the library by July 20 in order for the library to have prize certificates ready for their final program on July 25. Gibson and her staff started in March and April with the preparations for the program and so far have prepared 13,000 book bucks based off of how many they used in last years reading program. In October and November Gibson scheduled the performers they will have every Wednesday at North Central Texas College and last week got students in Graham familiar with the program. “We had all the pre-k, the kindergarten and the fourth grade classes,” she said. “They read their two hours in class, so they all got to choose a free book.” Last year the program had 187 children registered and they logged 4,410 total reading hours. Also during the Summer Reading Program the library will have seven special programs with free admission for children and their parents. Each event will be on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the North Central Texas College auditorium starting next Wednesday, June 6 with Professor Brainius.