Dear Community,
The month of June marks the start of our Summer Reading program and Pride Month, meaning we have an absolutely jam-packed month of programming ready for you to enjoy. With 85+ events across our four locations and outreach across our communities, these programs will spark joy, encourage curiosity, or provide helpful support and resources across our county.
In case you’re wondering why the library puts so much work into our summer reading program, it’s because underneath all of the fun games, programs, reading logs, and prizes, we are diligently working to prevent the “summer slide,” where research shows that students lose a significant amount of knowledge in reading and math over the summer break. Newer research even shows that students who do not read at all over the summer can experience a loss of reading skills equivalent to as much as an entire grade level.
There are loads of other benefits to using the public library over the summer. There are chances to meet new friends, create community connections, stay active and explore new ideas or hobbies. Our Library of Things provides a lot of activities, too. We have board games, cake pans, karaoke machines, ukuleles, disc golf supplies and hiking backpacks, and these are just the beginning of our offerings. I am certain that you’ll be sure to find something fun to enjoy these summer days.
Our libraries are also a place to stay comfortable and cool during hot days and a very cost-effective way (free, in fact!) to access plentiful resources. And if you have some trips planned, don’t forget about our digital library where you can use apps like Libby or CloudLibrary to access digital books, audiobooks, and magazines.
Sometimes I am asked about the best way to support our libraries. While there are tons of ways to go about doing this, I often answer with the easiest response of all: simply using the library is the best possible support. When you use the library, it proves the value of our existence in the community. When our numbers go up, the return on investment from your tax dollars and donations just gets better and better.
With that, I hope you have a wonderful summer!
Best,
Ashlee