Online library programs keeping kids reading
By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Strathmore Municipal Library is providing online programming to help kids and teens keep the pages and wheels turning throughout the summer.
The Summer Reading Program has been held by the library for years, but this summer, it is being held online. The program includes book readings, crafts and activities. There are four age groups for the program: ages three to five, kindergarten and Grade 1, Grades 2 to 4, and Grades 5 to 7, with each group getting their own digital classroom.
LITerary Teens is a similar program, for ages 13 to 19, being held by the library over Zoom and Google Classroom. The program runs from July 10 to Aug. 14. Weekly themes for LITerary Teens include biographies, coming-of-age, poetry, fantasy, mystery and adventure.
“It’s supposed to be a hangout session for teenagers on Fridays at 2 p.m.,” said Nickia Wheeler, LITerary Teens program coordinator. “We will play games, get to meet each other and talk about books a little bit.”
The programs will help kids continue reading throughout the summer, which could impact scholastic success during the upcoming school year, said Shayla Kopp, a summer reading program coordinator alongside Morgan Bahan.
“Reading is super vital to being a successful person,” said Kopp. “It’s summer – lots of kids don’t read as much as they do during the school year. But by engaging in the program, you’ve got those skills still, and you’ve actually built upon them.”
Those interested in the programs can enrol on the library’s website. There is no fee to enrol, but a $5 donation is encouraged. Participants must also register a gmail account to access Google Classroom.
On Fridays, there is unregistered programming through the library’s Facebook page, either as a live Facebook event or a prerecorded video. The first unregistered event will be on July 10 featuring seed planting in egg cups.
“Anybody in the community can take part in that,” said Kopp. “They get to pick the seeds they want, and then all that can be picked up at the library.”
Holding the events online should be no barrier to the success of the program, said Kopp. “Kids are super tech involved now, so I don’t think it’s a hard transition for the kids to make.”
However, the activities are designed to give parents and kids a bit of a screen break, she added. “We’re making DIY sundials, so once you watch the video, there’s written instructions, so you can print those out and take all that outside and don’t need to do it in front of the computer.”
Under the programs, there are three reading challenges in which participants can compete, with prizes. For LITerary Teens, the challenges include speed reading, most time spent reading and reading outside one’s comfort zone.
“The top reader in each group will get a prize after logging their minutes throughout the summer,” said Wheeler.