As the first month of school is underway, is your child prepared for the academic year? Libraries across Pennsylvania grow students’ school readiness, social, cognitive and emotional skills.
Developing a passion for reading is crucial, according to Jim Trelease, author of the best-seller, The Read-Aloud Handbook. “Students who read the most, read the best, achieve the most, and stay in school the longest. Conversely, those who don’t read much, cannot get better at it.”
Reading aloud is “the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading,” according to the landmark 1985 report Becoming a Nation of Readers.
And the James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St., can help. The Library offers year-round storytimes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age students. Programs for all ages are featured at calendar.jvbrown.edu, where you can filter and sort by age.
The Library’s digital databases can foster early literacy through online storybooks on Hoopla and Libby, all free with a library card. Young readers also may enjoy the Library’s Wonderbooks collection, which offers a read-aloud component next to a traditional print book.
Families can find free online help across grade levels and subject areas with POWER Library, including the free “chat with a librarian” function that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. POWER Library has resources for children and teens, including the Gale in Context Elementary database, which includes information about animals, geography, plants, sports, literature, and more.
“Using our digital databases develops critical thinking skills important to school academic success and literacy skills vital for a love of lifelong reading,” said Nicole Rader, the library’s Programming and Youth Services Director.
Patrons can also borrow thousands of ebooks, e-audiobooks and magazines for free using the Libby app on your mobile device through the Lycoming County Library System at https://libbyapp.com/library/ebranch2go.
These online resources are just some of the many ways the library supports the PA Forward initiative by providing information literacy opportunities for learning. When Pennsylvania residents know how to use current technology to improve their education and enhance their skills, they can fully participate in a digital society.
The James V. Brown Library is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. To place a hold, visit http://www.jvbrown.edu or call 570-326-0536 during the library’s operating hours. Walk-in passport services are available from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
The James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St., Williamsport, Pa., is the place to go to learn, connect and grow. Founded in June 1907, the library champions the love of reading, opens new doors to lifelong learning, provides a haven to those who seek and ensures the preservation of public library services for future generations. The library has more than 225,000 visitors in a year and circulates a half-million items annually. A member of the Lycoming County Library System, the James V. Brown Library participates in PA Forward, a statewide initiative to promote literacies in our communities to power a better future for everyone.
