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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Area libraries showing increase in attendance


Karen Yother, the children and youth services librarian at the Hayden branch of the Kootenai County Library, talks with a summer school class at Fernan Elementary before putting on a puppet show and passing out new books to the kids as part of the library's outreach programs. 
 (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
Cathy Keister Correspondent

Many children traveled the world, learned about other cultures, and enriched their minds this summer, right at home. No Xbox or television required, and it’s free. What is this terrific activity?

Reading.

Do the math. At the Hayden Library, more than 400 students registered for their summer reading program that reached 1,600 children. Post Falls Library had 14 programs and 1,200 in total attendance. Coeur d’Alene Library’s program had 500 children registered, resulting in a total of 3,537 hours that children read.

Nearly every library in the county reported doubled attendance this summer.

Karen Yother, children and youth services librarian at Hayden Library, says this year’s theme was “Dragons, Dreams & Daring Deeds,” created by the Collaborative Summer Library Program (www.cslp-reads.org) and used by 32 states.

It worked.

“Mrs. Idaho, Leslie Duncan, made a special visit encouraging the kids to read all summer, and took time to take pictures with the kids,” Yother said. “There was a Medieval Faire, with face painting and crafts, hula lessons with Kim Miller, and READO, where every child won a prize and free books each week!”

For fall, Hayden Library offers Read Week in October, Idaho Family Reading Week in November, Family Reading Night events, afternoon crafts and Saturday story times.

Post Falls Library summer program also doubled attendance this summer according to Lucy Barnard, children’s librarian. In addition to the Medieval Faire, their “Hank the Cow Dog Library Sleepover” was a hit.

Children, with adults, sang around a “campfire,” with a cowboy and his cowdog. They ate s’mores, watched “Milo and Otis,” and went on a scavenger hunt using flashlights.

“They ate trail mix for breakfast!” Barnard said.

For fall, in addition to crafts and regular story times, the library will offer Homeschooler’s Hour, a Harry Potter Party in October, Pajama Story Time, and a lapsit program. Dr. Seuss and Benjamin Franklin’s birthdays are more themes, and an American Girl Tea Party is planned.

The amount children read this summer doubled from last year at the Coeur d’Alene Library, and in less time, said Susan Thorp, the library’s youth services supervisor.

The Coeur d’Alene School District piloted an accelerated summer reading program this year at the Coeur d’Alene Library. Two librarians, Beth Dane (Winton Elementary), and Jennifer La Vigne (Bryan Elementary), assisted.

Other highlights this summer were the Medieval Faire and a carnival in Winton Park. Coeur d’Alene firefighters barbecued hot dogs and 325 patrons attended. Mayor Sandi Bloem was crowned queen, brought in on a pedicab.

“It was marvelous!” Thorp said.

This fall includes a mystery-themed reading program, where the children will “follow the clues.”

At Spirit Lake Library, library staff dressed in costumes during the programs and encouraged children to do the same, said Barbara Broughton, branch manager.

“Over six weeks, we had 395 children attend the programs,” she said. “It was too successful for our small space. At the second program, we had to ask all adults to leave the library and wait outside.”

After that experience, Broughton organized two back-to-back programs.

“We also had an outreach for two local day cares, which cut down on numbers inside the library.”

The library’s year-round programs include three story times and two after-school programs. A teen group is in the works.

There were similar results at the Athol Library’s Branch Manager Susan R. Wagner reports parents say the program has inspired their children’s love of reading.

“Our June programs had record attendance for all the days,” said Wagner, branch manager. “We’ve been doing the bonus reading program for the last five years, and the number of children and time spent reading has increased accordingly. At present, we have 122 children ages 2 through high school registered.”

For fall, the library will offer story times and crafts, Teen Web (creation and maintenance of an Athol Branch Teen Web page). More special programs will be added throughout the year.

More than 400 children participated in the Rathdrum Library’s summer programs, said Sandy Burnett, branch manager. Programs included teaching magic, calligraphy, storyteller Cecil the Magician, teen knitting club and drawing.

Preschool story time is held weekly, and the library is adding a lapsit program and an outreach to child care facilities. Middle school will be their focus this year, with an after-school program for young teens.