Library Column for October 18, 2017

@ Your Library

Hope everyone is reading at least a little bit every day. Parents who read for at least fifteen minutes for 21 days in October can bring their child into the library for a free book. Grab one of our reading logs, find one online at http://www.readaloud.org/downloads.html#challenge or keep track on a scrap of paper. We don’t care, we just want to see every child read aloud to every day. And parents if you have older children you still read aloud too, they too can earn a free book. Any parent who reads aloud to their child or children for fifteen minutes a day for twenty one days can get a free book for their child. All books must be claimed by Saturday, November 4.

Fifteen minutes a day, whether in two minute increments or one session are vital for the healthy development of young children. The brains of children between birth and age 3 grows exponentially and faster than at any other time of development outside the womb. And at birth, babies can recognize the sounds of stories read to them while still in the womb. A good time to develop the habit of reading daily to your child is while they are still in the womb. Take time every day for each parent to read aloud to the developing baby. This will make the habit much easier to cement in place after the baby is born. Habits are difficult to establish when life is crazy, and life is crazy with a newborn. So establish the habit while pregnant and give your child a great start to life and learning.

Like our Facebook page for daily thoughts, tips and ideas about reading aloud during the months of October and then in March and July as part of the Read Aloud 15 minutes campaign. We also provide information about upcoming programs, new books, interesting tidbits and more. Upcoming program information is also available on our website at www.internationalfallslibrary.us.

Friends of the Library book sale this Friday, October 20th from noon – 2 pm. All sales are by donation with proceeds benefiting the Friends support of library programming. We have a great selection of books for the cabin or shack this hunting season. Stock up for those quiet afternoons when nothing is moving in the woods. Check out a book or two when you come for the sale, or maybe an audiobook to pass the time. And if you worry about getting physical items back and avoiding fines then take a look at either Overdrive and their new app Libby or Hoopla for digital items you can download directly onto phones, tablets or computers and never have to worry about a late fee again. Ask us if you have questions.

The Duluth Playhouse Children’s Theatre returns to International Falls on Thursday, October 26th at 10:30 am for a show called “Imaginarium: Superheros!” for families with young children. This performance will take the place of storytime. Come for a 45 minute performance about superheroes.