Children encouraged to visit library this Summer
LIBRARIES across Sligo are hosting Summer Stars Reading Adventure.
Minister Seán Kyne TD launched the national Summer Stars Children’s Reading Adventure recently. Summer Stars is the national reading programme for children taking place in all 330 public libraries throughout the country this summer.
A free initiative, it continues to grow in popularity each year with over 65,000 children expected to participate in 2018.
Locally Sligo Library Service has already 945 children signed up to the Summer Stars Programme which is running in all 4 of its branch libraries around the county.
The programme will run until the end of August and there are lots of events, activities and competitions running which we encourage children to participate in.
The Summer Stars website, www.summerstars.ie also has online games and activities, a range of animated e-books, a children’s discussion board, and interviews with well-known people about their favourite books.
There are also helpful tips for reading and recommended titles by age group for children to read. And it’s all FREE!
An Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Councillor Martin Baker commended the Library Service staff: “This is an excellent project and has proved very popular in all our Branch Libraries.
“Last year 25,831 books were borrowed by children during July and August alone as part of the Summer Stars Reading Adventure in Sligo libraries and its already looking like that number will significantly increase this year.”
Mary Stuart, Head of Libraries Development noted: “With the school holidays now underway, the summer months provide an ideal opportunity for children to take time to find books they really enjoy and experience reading as an activity which is fun and a source of entertainment.”
Access to books and reading for pleasure is well known to have many important long-term benefits. Children who develop an interest in reading have been found to have greater self-esteem and well-being, greater creativity, better social and health outcomes, and an overall better quality of life as they get older.
Summer Stars provides services including story time sessions, book clubs, children’s events, access to talking books and games, workshops, computers and internet access and of course children’s books for all ages.