Each summer, the Warren Public Library participates in the Collaborative Summer Library Program, which is used by public libraries across the country.

The 2019 theme was A Universe of Stories, which tied into space in honor of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

While the library provides a variety of weekly and special events throughout June and July, another component of the summer program has to do with the actual reading.

Children are invited to register for the reading component at the beginning of June. Registering for the reading component consists simply of stopping by the Children’s Department, filling out a paper with the child’s name and age, and receiving a folder that contains a reading log on which the children keep track of books read over the summer.

In addition to older children, younger children of all ages are encouraged to participate as parents can record books read to their little ones. A crucial step in learning to read is being read to at an early age. It is never too early to read to your child, so start at birth or as soon as possible and read every day. Making it a bedtime ritual helps the child calm down and get ready to sleep.

The library never requires a certain amount of books to be read as we truly hope that children will choose to read books that they enjoy, not books that adults tell them to read. One child might read five books while another child reads 65 books. As with many things, it’s the quality, not the quantity. The best way to keep up reading skills learned over the school year, and to improve reading skills, is to read! The format does not matter. Children can read fiction, nonfiction, magazines, e-books, actual books or listen to audiobooks as all of these are beneficial. The more children enjoy what they are reading the more likely they will develop a lifelong love of books, and enhance their reading skills in the process.

This summer, 271 children signed up to participate in the reading component at the Warren Library, but 160 actually returned their reading logs during the designated time (July 22 to August 10) to claim their prizes. This happens at all libraries every year.

Many children are enthusiastic about reading and register at the beginning of the summer but families get busy and forget to return their logs. That’s okay. The good news is that huge amounts of children’s books and other materials from the Children’s department circulate on a daily basis so staff and volunteers are constantly busy shelving books. During the months of June and July, the phenomenal amount of 6,061 items checked out of the Warren Children’s Department. This number is high in comparison to other months of the year. So, while not all of the children keep track of what they are reading on summer logs we know that the children in Warren are reading as evidenced by the number of books that are checked in and out every day.

Special recognition was given by the library to the children who returned their reading logs for prizes this summer.

The following children read a grand total of 5,488 books from June 1 to August 10:

Valentina Abreu, Chalina Abreu, Lily Arthur, Chase Alex, Maya Alex, Zachary Ayers, Dustin Babcock, Lucas Babcock, Kayle Bell, Benji Bielawski, Charlie Bielawski, Spencer Brown, Broc Bryan, Ty Bryan, Tommie Bullock, Sebastian Cable, Brody Connolly, Fiona Cook, Landon Coppersmith, Emily Cotton, Jay Cotton, Jonathan Critelli, Madelyn Dale, Caleb Dorotics, Aubree Edwards, Keara Edwards, Rayleena Edwards, Maya Elmquist, Eli Eggleston, Logan Eggleston, Owen Eggleston, Aubrey Flickner, Wes Flickner, Bristol Fuller, Isaac Georgakis, Ethan Gustafson, Annabelle Gustafson, Emilia Hall, Charlotte Harrington, Aame Joshua Hams, Andrew Jensen-Withey, Zachary Jensen-Withey, Gage Jewell, Kaylee Jewell, Kelsey Johnson, Liam Johnson, Delaney Kerekanich, Elliot Kerekanich, Jake Kerekanich, Jenna Kophazy, Kensey Kophazy, Sky Kophazy, Joseph Kraemer, Evelyn Kramer, Meredith Kuntz, Thomas Kuntz, Abigail Long, Addison Long, Rory McBriar, Abigail McCord, Anna McCord, Samuel McCord, Gabriel McGuire, Lillith McGuire, Raegan Moore, Desmond Monaghan, Sullivan Monaghan, Logan Nhufer, Hannah Nicholson, Levi Nicholson, Lydia Nicholson, Samuel Nicholson, Aria Pannell, Lydia Pannell, Raelyn Perina, Degan Peterson, Logan Peterson, Ella Porier, Noah Porier, Grace Robinson, Emma Roell, Evelyn Romanosky, Victor Rosa, Case Seymour, Conlon Seymour, Moly Siliano, Evan Skelton, Bella Smith, Kate Smith, Anna Marie Sorensen, Ashley Striker, Kiara Stoddard, Daniel Straight, Ellen Straight, Faith Strange, Sophia Strange, Jayden Than, Adaline Trask, Joseph Vermilyea, Ellise Wilson, Evelyn Wilson, Ella Wiltsie, Seth Wiltsie, Kelly Wolfe, Vera Wolfe, Atticus Yesky, Alex Young, Rose Young, Brendon Zapel, Connor Zapel, Grayson Zapel, Isaac Zapel, Tesla Zapel, Aiden Zawacki and Ashlynn Zawacki.

Preschool classes that participated included Prihoda Preschool and the T-elephants class from Jefferson DeFrees Family Center.

The children received a variety of prizes for reading in addition to certificates from local businesses.

There were 103 programs for children offered this summer at the library with a total of 3,511 people in attendance. These numbers represent programs done on library grounds as well as outreach programs are done at facilities outside of the library. The 2020 Summer Library slogan is Imagine Your Library with themes of fairy tales, mythology, and fantasy.