FREDERICTON (GNB) – For the fourth year in a row, the New Brunswick Public Library Service is reporting an increase in the number of books read as part of its Summer Reading Club. The club recorded a total of 291,755 books, magazines or websites read between the months of June, July and August.
“These impressive results show a keen interest in literacy among our youth,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Francine Landry. “New Brunswick’s public library programs are critical to engaging children at a young age. Our government wants to build on successful long-standing programs like the Summer Reading Club to ensure New Brunswickers have access to early literacy and learning opportunities through a comprehensive literacy strategy.”
This year, the Summer Reading Club recorded the highest total of books read since 1997. In addition, the program enrolled 11,631 children, the highest total in the last decade. This included 22 children who registered through the provincial Talking Books-by-Mail Service – a library service that is available to patrons who self-identify as having a disability that prevents them from reading standard print.
As part of the program, the club creates 75 activity leader positions for student workers and provides them with valuable work experience. This past summer, activity leaders organized and held almost 3,200 activities that attracted more than 43,000 children.
“New Brunswick’s public libraries play a key role in maintaining and developing children’s literacy skills, especially during the summer months when they are not in school,” said Landry. “They also create jobs for students to gain important work experience here at home while saving for their post-secondary studies.”
Since the program’s inception in 1991, the Summer Reading Club has grown to include websites and magazines and has expanded to provide online resources, such as literacy games, for children and parents. This summer, for the first time, participants were able to register and participate online.
LINK:
• New Brunswick Public Library Service: www.gnb.ca/publiclibraries
12-11-14