Summer Reading Success Speaks Volumes
Tipperary Libraries have recorded the biggest ever participation in their Children’s Summer Reading Programme - over 2,350 children across Tipperary read over 32,500 books this summer!
This simple, but effective programme encourages kids to continuing reading during the summer months. For every book they read a leaf goes on the Reading Tree in their local library or Summer Book Bus.
At the end they are presented with their certificate and a medal.
One Thurles parent commented that “it’s great to help keep my children reading over the summer”.
“Parents are very keen for their kids to be involved and the kids love it,” explained Emer O’Brien (Senior Executive Librarian with Tipperary Libraries).
“Perhaps the bad weather, tough financial times in many homes added to the uptake on the programme this summer, but also parents have a great interest in their child’s reading, especially at the stage when they are emergent readers and don’t want all the good work from senior infants and first class to fall away during the summer,” Emer O’Brien added.
It is clear that our children are sending a clear message: We need our libraries; we need our books. We read and we want the latest books to read.
A lot of work goes into promoting the programme before the summer holidays and the schools are very good to spread the word.
Likewise the success of the programme would not have been possible, but for the kind sponsorship of the medals by Stakelum’s in Thurles and for NTLP supporting the purchase of stock for the Summer Reading Bus in Newport. The provision of the Summer Reading Programme in Newport, Clogheen and Mullinahone also would not have been possible, but for the help of local volunteers including Cllr Marie Murphy (South Tipperary County Council), the help of the local school principals and staff of our nearby libraries, headquarter staff and Mobile Book Bus driver Liam Duggan.
As ever the staff of Tipperary Libraries like to keep things fresh.
Thurles Libraries ran with a Treasure Island theme this year and also had a separate challenge for ten to 12-year-olds where they had to fill out a passport with details of books they had read about other countries and by authors from other countries.
Clonmel Library introduced a new shared reading ‘leaf’ for parents/adult who read with their child and Munster Rugby player Tommy O’Donnell presented the kids their medals in Cahir Library.
“Joining a child at their local library and reading to them from a young age is one of the great gifts that parents can give their children and it’s free which is surely something to cheer about in Ireland today,” Margaret Ryan of Nenagh Library explained.
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Weather for Tipperary
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
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Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North west
