By Sarah Rae

Library staff motivating kids to keep reading this summer

Jun 3, 2016 | 12:00 PM

Staff at the North Battleford Public Library is encouraging kids to keep reading even though school’s out for the summer later this month.

The library will be starting its annual summer reading club for the end of the school year.

Head librarian Amanda Foster said the program is for kids of all ages, from preschool to high school.

“A lot of studies have shown that children who don’t do any reading, they lose a lot of skills when they return to school in the fall, so basically it’s to help them maintain their literacy levels,” she said.

Summer reading programs take place at libraries across the country, but Foster said each location has its own version.

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Here in North Battleford, kids can read whatever interests them, and fill out ballots as they read certain amounts. They’ll get small prizes for completing ballots like pencils and bookmarks and can enter their ballots for weekly prizes and grand prizes at the end of the summer.

Kids and parents can also look online at the TD Summer Reading Club, where there are recommended reads for different reading levels and a meet the author section.

Foster said any child is welcome to take part from the Battlefords and the surrounding areas. She hopes the library can help more kids from all over pick up books this summer.

“Reading’s always important so the summer is just an extra push because they’re out of school and there’s a tendency for them to maybe not to read the same as they would when they’re in school,” she said.

Sarah.rae@jpbg.ca

@sarahjeanrae