A new school year is upon us, and that means so many things.
For the student, it means time to get back into learning mode after a break full of fun. For the parent, it can mean a revamping of schedules and getting accustomed to a quiet house.
While students will have plenty of homework assigned to them, parents should try to keep reading fun for their children year-round. Great River Regional Library is currently offering an added incentive for both parents and students to help with this.
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. Throughout the month, new cardholders and cardholders who refer them into GRRL will qualify for a chance to win an iPad. Patrons with expired cards who renew library memberships also qualify for the drawing for the latest technology tool. The drawing will take place at the end of the month.
While it seems every month is designated to a cause, sometimes the cause is worth the effort. Signing up for a library card and encouraging students to read more is a win-win for all involved. There is no negative effect to learning more. Countless studies have shown students who read more do better academically.
Yes, it would be nice to win an iPad. Not many would disagree with that. But that is not the point of the promotion. Improving literacy is. This should be promoted year-round.
According to data from the Minnesota Reading Corps., a statewide initiative to help every Minnesota child become a successful reader by the end of third grade, nearly one in five third-graders in Minnesota is failing to reach basic levels of literacy. One way to improve that is to read beyond the assigned homework assignment and read for fun. With busy schedules, that can be hard to do, but carving out 20 minutes per day could make a big difference. Information is powerful.
Library cards are provided free of charge. Services are funded through county, state and federal taxes. To receive a card and qualify for the “get carded” promotion, adults need to complete the get-carded application form (including referral information if applicable) and provide a photo ID and proof of their current address.
This can be done at any GRRL branch. More information about getting a library card can be found at www.griver.org.