CGPL's back at it again with another summer full of fun reading, games, and events! This year's Summer Reading theme is Adventure Begins At Your Library.
Library staff has been hard at work planning events that will prepare you for and take you on your next great adventure. Whether it's out in the world or between the pages of a book, the library has you covered. Join us in celebrating from June 1st to July 31st. You can sign up online or in person at the library!
But what exactly IS Summer Reading?
For adults, it's a time to rediscover the joy and love for reading! If you are an adult with a little one, it's the perfect time to connect through reading and establish those habits together as a family.
Reading has many benefits like strengthening your brain, reducing the mental decline of old age by about 32%, and building vocabulary. Job searching? 69% of employers look for good communication skills in applicants. Reading could be all the difference when on the market for a new profession! It has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and even help with regulating sleep. Reading 30 minutes daily can do all of this and more! Literacy is important for all ages, and you are never too old to learn something new (even if that "something" is just that reading can be fun!).
For our youth, it's a time to make reading fun and establish habits to prevent the dreaded Summer Slide (also known as Summer Reading Regression). Literacy skills are the foundation for all learning, so it's important for young minds to practice reading daily and create the building blocks of knowledge that will carry them throughout their life. But you don't have to wait until your next trip to the library! Here are some ways to combat the Summer Slide from home:
- Establish a routine. Read with your child at least 20 minutes a day (at the same time every day).
- Be a reading partner. Ask questions about the story while you’re reading, read aloud and track words with your finger, and be patient and encouraging.
- Encourage involvement. Let your child have a role in selecting what books you read. For pre-readers, encourage them to make their own choices about picture books. For independent readers, allow them the independence to choose reading materials based on their interests. Sign them up for a library card!
- Make a special reading spot. Choose a calm, comfortable place free from distractions (like toys and electronics).
- Make it a game. Encourage your child to read to an audience of stuffed animals, pets, or siblings.
- Model expectations. Children mimic the behavior they observe. Encourage literacy skills by showing off your own!
Reading comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. If you read graphic novels, it counts. If you read audiobooks, that definitelycounts. Even if you spend 15-20 minutes reading a magazine or a newspaper - make sure to track it because it counts! Why is this so important? Because the amount of time you read increases your number of entries into weekly and grand prize drawings!
Youth Prizes:
- May 28th through June 7th: 2 season passes to Cape Splash (ages 1-13)
- Pre-readers (ages 0-5): 2 Tonie boxes and characters and 2 family memberships to Discovery Playhouse
- Youth (ages 6-11): 4 youth bikes + helmets, 2 $50 gift cards to Teehouse (Arena Golf), and 1 Osmo Starter Kit (iPad not included)
- Teens: 1 copy of Settlers of Catan, 2 Apple AirPods, 2 Amazon Kindles
Adult Prizes:
- 2 Bookish Baskets which include a soft blanket, books, a bookish-themed candle, and more
- 1 Bookish Box which includes a tumbler, a tote, bookmarks, and more!
- 2 coffee/water thermoses that say "I'm a Book Dragon, Not a Book Worm"
But CGPL's Summer Reading Program is about more than just books and prizes. It's about coming together as a community and bringing people into our library to discover new things and resources. And whether you are 18 months or 118 months, being a part of the community is important and incredibly beneficial. You can join us here at the library and get involved at one of our many events which can be found on our website calendar here! We bring the fun, you bring yourselves.
Summer Reading at the Cape Girardeau Public Library is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State. Additional funds contributed by the Friends of the Cape Girardeau Public Library Foundation.