Summer reading program ropes in record numbers
GPLS News, October 2009
Taryn Brown (right) congratulates Kierra Newton,a sixth-grade student at Hutto Middle School in Bainbridge, for reading 285 books during the 2009 summer reading program.
A wealth of popular programming has combined with the poor economy to fill Georgia's libraries with children and teens this summer. Although final figures will not be known until all library systems file annual reports, it's clear that a record number of participants have taken advantage of the state's annual summer reading program.
"Numbers have just been through the roof," said Elaine Black, youth services director for GPLS. "Many systems are seeing increases of 30 to 50 percent over previous years."
The Statesboro Regional Library is one such system, with more than 800 children and teens registered at its central branch alone. "We had more than 500 visiting the library every week to turn in reading folders," said Elaine McDuffie, head of youth and family services. "That's up nearly 40 percent over last year. Total attendance for programs here was almost 3,000."
The Chestatee Regional Library System also saw significant attendance gains. "At the Dawson County Public Library, we saw our overall enrollment in the summer program increase by 38 percent from last year," said Tracy Walker, youth services specialist. "We are really pleased and excited to also see a 42 percent increase in recorded reading hours here."
Southwest Georgia Regional Library System's registration numbers increased by almost 400, according to Taryn Brown, youth services and community relations librarian for the Bainbridge-based system. "We have had a fantastic summer," she said, "registering 1,124 children throughout our system."
Participation in the teen program at the Screven-Jenkins Regional Library System more than doubled this year, according to Public Services Librarian Sharon Blank. She attributes the increase in part to the economy but also to the hard work and creativity that went into creating this year's slate of programs. "We had live music at our teen kickoff party," she said, " and we had a hugely successful children's program in which cowboy Bruce Brannen told stories, read poems and demonstrated cowboy skills such as fancy roping and the art of the bullwhip. He brought the days of the big Western cattle drives to life for everyone, and that encouraged further reading and research from them."
Music played an important part in many of this year's summer reading programs. "The teen activity that stood out as a groundbreaking event in Statesboro was when a local music company called The Plaid Dott School of Rock presented a musical showcase of local teen musicians, bands and performers," said McDuffie. "Attendance was phenomenal for this program, and it will be remembered by many as one of the coolest things we've ever done here. We literally rocked the block!"
Pat Gay, librarian at the LaGrange Memorial Library, noted that more than 400 children and adults turned out at her library for a program of songs and stories by singing storyteller and recording artist Eric Litwin.
Numerous young readers in the Oconee Regional Library System became guest columnists for the local newspaper and contributors for an art display at the library. "This year, our readers got extra points for writing book reviews and book reports and for completing drawings about the books they read," said Mary Jane Smith, branch manager of the Treutlen County Public Library. "The reports were shared in a weekly column in the Soperton News, and the drawings were an instant art show for our library. Children loved it all, and their parents appreciated our grand prizes of school supplies."
"We had a statewide attendance of more than 425,000 in 2008," said Black, "so 2009 looks like it may be our first-ever year with more than half a million participants."