Lifetime Learning at the Library

May 19, 2011

Since I am a retired high school teacher, I find myself becoming very nostalgic at this time of the year. Students are completing another year of school, and seniors are graduating and moving on with their lives. As a library employee, it reminds me of the part the library has played in many of their lives. Some of the students started using the library at an early age. We first knew them as toddlers attending storytimes and summer programs. They became elementary students excited about the summer reading programs. As they progressed to middle school and high school, these young people remembered the library when they had reports to make. Others have turned to the library for CDs, DVDs, or maybe just to use the internet or Wi-Fi. The important thing is that they have learned to use the library. 

I recently attended a conference of high school students from all over United States and several other countries. The guest speaker talked about the importance of reading.  He told these teens that they should have a goal of reading books other than school books for 30 to 60 minutes a day.  If they reached that goal, they would end up reading 52 books a year. He then added that reading 5 books on a subject makes a person an expert on that subject. So by the end of a year, one could become an expert in 10 areas.

As we begin our summer reading program, I’m happy to talk to our elementary students about reading and using the library. I look forward to seeing their excited faces when they come to us to check out books. It is a reminder that we are developing a life skill. I encourage parents and kids to use this library this summer and continue that use into the future.

Jean Ann G.
Lone Jack Branch