The Chestermere Public Library is encouraging everyone to read with the kickoff of the Spring Reading Program March 20.
The annual reading program goes until April 30 and tries to bring reading to the forefront of Chestermerians minds and increase the public’s engagement with the library.
The primarily self-directed program asks people to record how much they are reading.
“Then we total that up and we have a sunflower meter…the head of the sunflower will go up to reflect the number of minutes,” said Assistant Director Cathy Burness.
The library is hoping to tap into resident’s competitive streak to get them reading.
“We found when we did the read for 15 in January how a lot of people really have a competitive streak about things,” said Library Director Debbi Weber, “and we thought maybe we’ll play into that a little bit.”
Although they would like to beat last year’s total of 6840 minutes read, their goal is just to get people reading.
“If you read for 15 minutes that’s awesome, if you read all the time that’s even better,” said Weber.
She said that there are several studies that have detailed the benefits of reading.
“They talk about how reading makes you more empathetic,” said Weber.
“It expands their mind, whether it’s non-fiction and they’re learning something or its expanding their mind because they’re in a fantasy world that the book tool them to,” said Burness.
Programs like this also promote literacy and show how libraries are still important and relevant in the digital world.
In addition to tracking the number of minutes read by library card holders, there are also several fun programs and activities scheduled throughout the month.
Wednesday nights are movie nights, a preschool story craft after story time, the stuffy sleepover, and giant board games. The Library’s regular programs continue through this period as well.
Burness said that the stuffy sleepover is one of their most successful events they’ve ever run.
“We get a huge turn-out of stuffies,” she said.
On March 30, kids will leave a stuffed or second favourite toy at the library over-night.
“We don’t ask for the favourite stuffies because it’s kind of hard to sleep without your favourite,” said Weber.
“Sometimes they’re well behaved sometimes they aren’t,” joked Burness of the toys that spend the night.
Librarians take pictures of the toys antics and activities during the evening and post them the next day.
“When the kids come to pick up their stuffy they have pictures of what their stuffies were up to,” said Burness.
Due to the popularity of the event, they will be running a second sleepover in April.
There will also be a draw for one of four prizes, where people get one entry ballot when they come to the library and with participation in the various activities.
The Spring Reading Program is one of two programs that the library runs throughout the year.
“The Summer Reading Program is always a really big deal and we’re trying to bring the spring reading program up to match that,” said Burness.
Last year more than 1000 people signed up for the summer but only 331 for the spring.
“We’d like to increase those numbers,” she said.
Burness is confident that they will surpass last year’s numbers, in the first four days of the program, 213 people signed up.
Registration to participate in the Spring Reading Program is open for the duration of the program.
“I’m guessing that we’ll double or triple the number from last year,” said Burness.
