Richland Community Library is kicking off an early childhood reading program to help parents prepare children for one of life’s big milestones: kindergarten. The “1000 Books B4K” program will be introduced during a special story time and explanation session at 11:15 a.m. on May 30.
Local businesses and community organizations are partnering with the library to challenge families to share 1,000 books with their children before they begin elementary school.
Children and their parents can sign up for the program at the library. All registered participants will receive a tote bag, reading folder and log sheets to record their progress.
Children will receive a prize after reading 100 books with their parents. After reading 500 books, children can choose a paperback book to keep. When parents and children log 1,000 books, they achieve status on the library Wall of Fame and receive a special gift.
"If 1,000 books seems daunting, think of it this way: If you read only one book at bedtime every night for three years, you will have read 1,095 books. If you read three books a day, you’ll have read 1,095 books in just one year," said library director Amy Davis.
"One major goal of our program is to develop a habit of reading. One of the best ways to encourage learning is to spend time sharing books every day. Reading together helps develop important pre-reading skills that provide a solid reading foundation --a key to school and learning success," Davis added.
The 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program began in the Bremen Public Library in Indiana and has spread throughout the Midwest and Northeastern United States. The program is inspired by Mem Fox’s book “Reading Magic” and is based upon research findings that children who have books read to them at young ages are more prepared to learn to read in kindergarten.
For more details on the program, contact the Richland Library at 717-866-4939 or email adavis@lclibs.org.
