By JEANNIE WILEY WOLF
Staff Writer
The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library is still planning to hold its annual SummerRead program, but it’s unclear what changes will have to be made to adapt to the ever-changing situation the coronavirus brings.
“Summer reading looks very different this year,” said Brittany Lutes, children’s services manager who is in charge of the program. “Like everything else right now, we’ll have to wait and see on a lot of it.”
The good news is there will definitely be some kind of a reading program this summer, she said. Ultimately, the point of the event is to encourage people — children, teens and adults — to read.
“For us, summer reading is more than just the programs and prizes and whatnot. Those are all things that we really love about the program. We love doing them and getting kids excited,” Lutes said. “But the most important thing for us is encouraging the entire community to continue reading throughout the summer.”
Lutes said the program plays an important role in helping to combat the summer slide, when students tend to lose some of the academic gains they’ve made during the previous school year. This will be even more important this year since the schools have been closed, she noted.
“I’ve heard other librarians say this year it’s not a summer slide, it’s a summer avalanche,” said Lutes. “And so we want to do whatever we can to help kids, families, people of all ages — because it is an all-age program — get excited about reading this summer.”
This year’s theme is “Imagine Your Story” and will focus on fairy tales, fantasy and mythology. The program is set to launch June 1 via a digital platform.
“Before, it’s always been you come to the library and you sign up on a piece of paper,” Lutes said. While that option will still be available in some form, she said “for anybody who is ready to make the switch, whether we are open June 1, we will be able to get people registered through the digital platform.”
The library is already offering a number of virtual programs, including storytimes, Makerspace sessions and a stay-at-home book club. The summer program will build on those same ideas, she said. An app will allow participants to log the books and number of minutes they read.
“The nice thing about the digital platform is that, not only can we can have SummerRead this year no matter what the circumstances are, but you can keep track of it,” she said. “Before, you just kind of turned in a piece of paper and that goes to us, and the people doing the program never see that again. But this way, you can track everything that you’ve done all summer.”
While children tend to make up the majority of SummerRead participants, all ages are encouraged to participate. Last year’s program attracted 1,840 people — including 1,365 children, 185 teens and 290 adults — who read over 25,000 books.
“There still will be a summer reading program and we’re excited to still be able to provide that,” Lutes added. “It’s an important program. And it’s one that we will do, no matter what we have to do to make it happen.”
Online: https://www.findlaylibrary.org/
https://www.facebook.com/FHCPL/
Wolf: 419-427-8419
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