Robey Memorial Library completes Summer Reading Program

“Be creative @ your library” was the theme of the 2009 Summer Reading Program (SRP) at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon, which began Monday, July 13 with the traditional Family Night. Following Family Night, other SRP activities included Reading Challenge, Creative Crafts, and Story Time.
The first program of Family Night was Gretchen Conway’s “Japanese children and their crafts”. Her power point presentation emphasized her experience in Japan as a teacher with highlights on the similarities and differences between Japanese and American elementary students. She also presented origami kits with home instructions. The presenter donated all time and materials.
Again this year Lynn Sorenson, owner of Kitchen Krafts, involved her audience in cookie decorating using edible markers to draw on the frosted cookie. Each child was given a set of markers to keep. As always, this presenter also donated all time and materials.
Another favorite of Family Night, Sue Kiesau and her puppet friends read throughout the evening. Many children were up on their feet dancing with Dancing Elmo. At the end of the evening children loved shaking hands with Bernie the puppet. A total of 44 children and 28 parents attended Family Night.
Wednesday afternoons throughout the summer a new SRP feature was added, Creative Crafts. During the four weeks, a total of 55 children and 22 adults attended the different sessions, which included sand art, garden spinners, finger print art, and faux stained glass.
Have anyone seen new signs on various front yards throughout the community? If so, a closer reading would reveal that a “Library Champion lives here”. These signs were given to all Reading Challenge participants.
A total of 73 children participated in the four-week Reading Challenge that ran from Monday, July 13 through Saturday, August 8. The Reading Challenge had three categories, including Category One: Infant – Kindergarten; Category Two: 1st-3rd grades; and Category Three: 4th-8th grades. The first two categories counted the number of books read; the third category counted number of pages read. All prizes were distributed each week as the child turned in his/her reading log.
Top readers in each category were as follows:
Category One: Alexis Hogan [95 books]; Ryan Delaney [77 books]; Ally Delaney [76 books]. Total number of books read by 33 participants was 922.
Category Two: Logan Van Ruler [103]; Miann Barr [100]; Brianna Hagen [97]. Total number of books read by 26 participants was 990.
Category Three: Heather Van Ruler [7,534 pages]; Carli Quandahl [2,063 pages]; Zachary Troendle [1,162 pages]. Total number of pages read by 14 readers was 15,974.
Ellen Krousie, SRP Coordinator, reported, “In comparing this year's numbers to last year, I was astonished as to the increases. For example, last year Category One read 770 books and this year 990 books were read. Yet, both years had the same number of participants. This year’s Category Two had 26 readers who read 990 books compared to last year's 14 readers who read 363 books. In last year’s count for Category Three, both readers and pages read were down. However, this year’s Category Three included 14 readers reading 15,974 pages!”
Storytellers Sue Kiesau, Kirk Snitker, Pat Pettingill and Pat Selberg held Story Time Tuesday mornings throughout the summer. A total of 156 children and 64 adults attended the nine sessions. These story times prove to be an excellent means to build early literary skill and to prepare preschoolers for kindergarten.
Callie Irons, Director at Robey Memorial Library, had this to say: “The success of Summer Reading Program has always been reflected by the hard work of the SRP Coordinator and other library staff. This year, kudos go out to several companies/individuals: Hardees and Casey’s for their contribution of prizes; Kitchen Krafts and Gretchen Conway; West Side Lumber for the Library Champion sign posts; and our beloved story tellers, Sue Kiesau, Kirk Snitker, Pat Selberg and Pat Pettingill.  Last but never least are the parents who brought their children to the library and read all those stories to the preschoolers!”