FREDERICTON (GNB) – The New Brunswick Public Library Service Summer Reading Club had one of its most successful years on record.

This year young participants recorded the highest total number of books read since 1997, reading a total of 281,753 books, magazines or websites, which constituted a 6.5 per cent increase over last year and the second highest total in the program's history.

In addition, the program enrolled the highest number of readers since 2004, reaching 11,308; an increase of one per cent over last year. It was the third year in a row that the number of enrolments and the number of books read has increased.

“The Summer Reading Club is one of the most successful programs for our public libraries,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody  Carr. “The upward trend in the statistics show that it is becoming an increasingly popular summer pastime and is succeeding in encouraging New Brunswick children to read. We are constantly making efforts to improve the services we offer in our libraries, and these statistics indicate that those efforts are having an impact.”

Every year since 1991 children of all ages have been invited to join the free provincial library program during the months of June, July and August. The program aims to encourage reading during the school break.

Since the program's inception, the club has grown to include websites and magazines and has expanded to provide online resources such as literacy games for children and parents. Activity leaders are hired each year to provide on-site activities for participants. This year, participation in these local events increased by an 12 per cent.

Each year, the club creates jobs for student workers. This year's theme was Movies and Films and provided inspiration for these employees to develop creative activities that were both fun and educational.

“The investments we make in our children and youth today have an impact on the future,” said Carr. “Our investment of more than $300,000 in the Summer Reading Club complements the many initiatives within the Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy and our principles outlined in Putting Children First.”

Statistics from the initiative are gathered from the 63 libraries over the month of September and the information is collated by the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour during the month of October.

LINKS:

●    New Brunswick Public Library Service


24-10-13