The summer reading program for children at Jamaica public library will begin Wednesday, June 7, at 11 am at the library. The program will be held each Wednesday during June and July, except for the week of July 3-7, when a special event will be held at 6 pm on Thursday, July 6, at the Jamaica Community Center.
Each program will last one hour and include reading, crafts, activities and snacks.
State Library of Iowa recently conducted a summer reading summit at the Anita library for librarians from southwest Iowa. Janae Jackson-Doering, SLI’s library consultant for youth services, talked about reversing the “summer slide” that impacts school children from when school ends in late May and resumes in late August.
“Students lose between two and three months of reading and math,” explained Jackson-Doering. “This can especially impact low income students. By the fifth grade, they can fall behind their school-age peers by two to three years. There are also slides in social and emotional skills.”
Theme of this year’s summer reading program is “Find Your Voice.” The program is available to all area children from ages PreK to middle school. Moms with toddlers are especially welcome.
For more information, contact the library at 641-429-3362 or check the Jamaica public library Facebook page.
