By Nicole Barrios

Although the summer months can be long and unproductive for some students, booklovers at the Kyle Public Library are taking advantage of fun and educational activities in the summer reading program. 

The summer reading program at the library began June 9 and readers of all ages are encouraged to participate, said Caitlin Soley, Kyle Public Library assistant. This year over 1,400 readers are participating in the program at the library, Soley said. 

Children who are not yet reading but being read to can still join in on the program, Soley said. 

“We actually encourage reading for all ages, even babies, partly because it helps the younger kids set their language and sets the foundation for learning to read,” said Cara Waits, Kyle Public Library assistant director. 

The library is encouraging adults to sign up to “model” reading to their children and read as a family, Waits said. 

This is the second year there was an adult summer reading program, Waits said. Last year about 300 adults participated and this year almost 600 adults are joining in the program, she said.

The summer reading program is based on the number of hours a participant reads, not the number of books, Soley said. 

For every 30 minutes a person reads, they mark out a star on their reading log, Soley said. For every four hours of reading, participants can come to the library to receive a “reading reward” or prize. 

Everyone who is part of the reading program is entered into a grand prize drawing with secret prizes to be awarded at the end of the program when the drawing takes place. Every reading log completed is also entered into the drawing, so students can do as many reading logs as they wish, Soley said. 

Although the actual program ended July 23, participants can keep reading and turning in logs for small reading prizes until the school year begins, she said. 

Jazzmin Aguayo, Kyle resident, said she enjoys reading at the Kyle Public Library during the summer. 

Aguayo said she enjoys reading books during the summer that she would not normally have the time to read as a busy college student during the year. She said going to the Kyle library allows her to relax and explore collections of books she might not have access to otherwise. 

Summer reading programs like the one at the Kyle Public Library help students maintain their reading level over the summer months so they do not return to school with a lower reading level, Soley said. 

“Also, just to give them educational entertainment throughout the summer when they can get really bored,” Soley said. “Instead of just watching TV it gives them a fun task to do.”

Aguayo is studying to become an elementary school teacher at Texas State University and believes summer reading programs at the library help students grow over the summer and encourage a love of reading some may not feel when school is in session. 

“These programs give reading an element of being even more exciting and rewarding,” Aguayo said. 

The program also allows kids to read things they enjoy and explore their horizons, Soley said. 

“So maybe if they don’t like reading during the school year, they can discover something that they do like reading over the summer,” Soley said. 

Aguayo remembers taking part in the summer reading program when she was in elementary and middle school. 

“The program was something I loved being a part of because it challenged me to read at every chance I got,” Aguayo said. 

Interactive programs for different ages also take place at the library and connect back to the summer reading program, Soley said. 

“We offer special programs that lend a learning value to it, as well as exposing kids to different mediums of art and science — informal learning experiences,” Waits said. 

Family activities at the library this summer have featured fun events such as a “Critterman” with bugs to show the children and a mad science program, Soley said. A book club for tween and teen aged students was also featured as part of the program, she said. 

“We do have a lot of teenagers that volunteer with us and they do the reading program, as well as other teenagers do the reading program,” Soley said. “So we promote all ages to be reading and reading over the summer.”

The grand finale of the summer reading program will take place Thursday, Soley said. The event will feature a marionette puppet production, snow cones and other activities. The grand prize winners will be drawn and announced as well. 

“It’s a lot of fun,” Soley said. “Everyone’s really excited to get out and read and participate in the events.”