Less structure gives children more freedom to enjoy summer reading
Makenna Hilliard plans to spend her summer off from school tackling books about dragons and mythological creatures.
Along with the enjoyment she gets from reading, Makenna, 12, of Butler, also will earn points she can redeem for prizes at the Butler Area Public Library, which kicked off its annual summer reading program Tuesday.
“I’m excited for summer reading,” Makenna said. “I consider myself a reader; I do the program every year.”
The library kicked off its program for young adults in fourth to 12th grade Tuesday with a luau in the “Wave Cafe,” where Makenna and others drew pictures, hula hooped and learned about the summer reading program.
Tiffany Harkleroad, youth services librarian, said the library has been unable to host in-person summer reading programs the past two years, so the two kickoff luau events this week at the facility, 218 N. McKean St., have been highly anticipated by staff.
She said these unstructured luau events are meant to ease children and youth into library programming and subsequently, books and reading.
“Really what we want to do is get kids reading, and the less restrictions we put on them, the easier it is for them to enjoy,” Harkleroad said. “They get to read whatever they want.”
The summer reading children’s program has three age groups; from birth to 3 years old, 3 to 6 years old and kindergarten through third grade. The children’s kickoff luau took place at noon Wednesday.
The young adult unit is for students in grades four to 12. Summer reading is scheduled to run for nine weeks.
The goal of summer reading for all age groups is to earn 10 badges on Beanstack, a digital reading application where users can log books and their reading time. Harkleroad said readers earn a badge for every book read, and there are other challenges as well where badges can be earned.
By reading and earning badges, participants in summer reading also get points they can redeem for prizes at the library, and there is an incentive to earn 10 badges.
“Every kid who gets their 10-badge goal, they get a brag tag that they can put on their backpack or phone case,” Harkleroad said. “Then they get to come and pick a book that's theirs to keep.”
Harkleroad also said she and the staff are trying to attract more teens to the library. The library has a room dedicated to teenagers, which Harkleroad said will be known as the “Wave Cafe” this summer, where they can enjoy activities and refreshments.
“I would love to see our teen department filled,” Harkleroad said. “It’s a great safe place they can hang out, it’s air conditioned, so they can come in from the heat, they can have food and fun activities; and it’s all free.”
The library has activities for both age groups to get the participants on the same page once a week; taking place at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the young adult group and at noon on Wednesdays for the young children group.
Harkleroad said she is excited to reintroduce youths to the library through the summer reading program.
“We’re really just so happy to be having things in person again,” Harkleroad said.
For more information on the summer reading programs, visit the library’s website at butlerlibrary.info.
