Rockwall Reads kicks off summer by bringing books to kids | Local News
This summer, books will be readily available at more than just the Rockwall County Library thanks to Rockwall Reads.
Rockwall Reads is an initiative which partners the Rockwall ISD librarians and the children’s librarians of the Rockwall County Library with the goal of putting books in the hands of children throughout the community in the summer.
On June 15, Rockwall Reads kicked off its second annual summer reading initiative with storytelling, face-painting, crafts, snacks and free books at The Mission and Pebblebrook apartments. On June 28, Rockwall Reads also started a reading initiative at Lake Rockwall Estates in the mornings. RISD library media specialists provide a story and craft every Wednesday through July from 10-11 a.m., excluding Fourth of July week. Snacks are available and the children have a selection of books to choose from to keep or borrow. RISD elementary library media specialists have also reorganized and refreshed the community center library for students to use year-round.
Virginia Reinhardt Elementary School librarian Erin Figert started discussing Rockwall Reads three years ago. She said as a librarian, her passion is to get books in the hands of kids.
“I began to think about the kids in our community that did not have access to the public library and potentially did not have access to books at home during the summer, she said. “I began to brainstorm how we could get books into their hands. I approached the other Rockwall ISD Librarians as well as Doreen Miller at the county library with my idea and they jumped on board.”
Last year was the program’s first year and they worked with the summer meal program through Rockwall ISD. They collected books through book drives and had books available for the community on Wednesdays throughout the summer at both Dobbs and Rochelle Elementary.
Figert said they saw some success, but decided that they needed to put the books where the kids are instead of them having to go to the books.
“So, I approached local apartment communities this past spring and was able to partner with Pebblebrook Apartments and Mission Rockwall,” she said. “Karen Meno, Pullen Elementary Librarian, also approached the Lake Rockwall Estates Community Center about having programs there throughout the summer.”
Figert added the apartment complexes each have a “pop-up” library in the manager’s office with books available for the children pre-school through 8th grade. New books are delivered each Wednesday by a Rockwall ISD librarian. They are also working with the center to update its library with more high-interest books for the children and families that they serve.
The primary goal of Rockwall Reads is to provide books for children throughout the summer, especially those who cannot, for one reason or another, get to the public library or do not have access to books at home.
Figert added that the initiative also helps librarians be more involved with the community.
“I also think that Rockwall Reads helps us develop relationships with children out in the community, to see that we don’t just care about them when they come to the school library, but we are willing to come to them,” she said. “I remember one little girl last year who came into the Rochelle cafeteria and saw us set up and exclaimed, ‘It’s book day!’ That made the whole thing worth it to me and inspired us to continue the program this year. If it just reaches one child, it is all worth it.”
Figert said this community involvement is what sets Rockwall Reads apart from other reading programs. She said she sees it as an extension of what the library is doing throughout the summer. She added that they are so grateful that Doreen Miller and Lindsey Snelling at the county library were excited to partner with them. She also thanked them for their books, crafts and participation at the kick-off events at both apartment complexes.
“I think it is important for the community to see us working together towards the common goal of providing access to books to the children of our community,” she said.
She said reading throughout the summer is critical and there is an abundance of research that points to the importance of kids reading in the summer to prevent what many refer to as the “summer slide.”
“That is why I feel like it is so important to reach out and get books in their hands, so that they know reading doesn’t have to stop in May and start again in September,” she said. “Reading is a year-round, lifetime activity and is beneficial both educationally and personally.”
Figert said that although the program is relatively new, the community response has been positive. She added that families at the apartment complexes have been excited about the bookshelves and that the participating schools have given monetary and book donations.
Figert would like to bring back Rockwall Reads next summer and has even bigger ideas up her sleeve. At the end of the summer, she and the other librarians will sit down and evaluate how things went this summer and brainstorm what they can do differently.
“One of my early thoughts is to be more active and present at Lake Rockwall Estates and maybe even provide programming at the apartment communities,” she said. “I would love to have enough volunteers that we could do a Read-To-Me Program, where children would have an opportunity to be read to or read with someone. We have also thought about approaching the city about having Little Free Libraries around town so that we could extend our outreach to other neighborhoods. And of course it would be fun to have a Book-Mobile. I tend to dream big.”
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