Libraries across the Upper Cumberland kicking off summer reading programs for all ages featuring live performers and incentive prizes to prevent learning loss during the school break.
Fentress County Public Library Director Donna Conatser [Cun-Nantz-er] said the kickoff events begin June 2 for adults, followed by programs for children and teens. Conatser said students who do not read during the summer months can lose up to six months of learning according to school system data.
“It’s important to keep especially the kids reading throughout the summer so that when they start back in school in August, then they don’t experience the summer slide from not reading throughout the summer,” Conatser said. “It keeps them thinking, it keeps their mind going, gives them something to look forward to coming to the programs.”
Conatser said the library uses incentive prizes each week to reward children who read or have books read to them by family members. Conatser said the program aims to keep students’ minds active so they do not have to spend the first weeks of the new school year struggling to get back into a routine.
“We love our job,” Conatser said. “We love to see the kids come in and enjoy reading, and we love to see them enjoy the entertainment that we have coming in because for the kids 11 and under, we have one week we have a magician ventriloquist that comes. We have the science guys who does science experiments in the library. And then we have two state parks that are coming this year. They also came last year. They’re going to bring birds of prey and snakes, which is not my favorite thing, but hey, anything for the kids. I even pet the snake last year.”
Conatser said the library expects high participation with up to 250 children attending each program along with dozens of local teens and adults. Conatser said the library serves as a vital weekly outing for families in the rural county who may not have the financial means for other summer activities.
“I think they enjoy just being able to interact with other kids their age, knowing you know they are learning, but they don’t realize they’re learning because they’re reading and enjoying fun stuff, but still learning at the same time,” Conatser said. “Lots of advertisement, lots of good incentive prizes, and just knowing that, you know, they they can come, they’ve a lot of them have came since they were babies and they’re now in the teen program.”
Conatser said the library encourages parents to read to their children starting at the newborn stage to build early literacy habits. Conatser said some local families choose to read entire book series together to maintain interaction and learning as a group.
“Start reading to your kids as as soon as you can,” Conatser said. “I have parents who read to their newborns. As long as you know reading to them, letting them look at the pictures, the interaction with with the family and we have some that will take a book series and they read it together as a family even though it may be a juvenile book, the whole family reads it together.”
Conatser said adult reading is equally important for maintaining mental activity through fiction, biographies, and non-fiction titles. Conatser said many participants have grown up in the system, moving from the children’s events into the teen and adult programs over the years.
“We look forward to seeing everybody come and have fun with us this summer,” Conatser said.