The Park City Library will turn the page on its annual summer reading challenge June 8 — this year’s theme is “Unearth a Story.” The goal is for locals to read or be read to for at least 20 minutes each day.
While the program is geared toward kids, youth services librarian Katrina Kmak said reading is beneficial at all ages, and everyone is encouraged to participate.
She said reading can prevent the “summer slide,” where students lose literacy skills over summer break. Kmak said reading to children is just as helpful.
“What you're doing while you're reading to these kids is you're expanding their vocabulary,” Kmak said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” May 29. “Children's books especially have a fabulous way of putting in these words that we wouldn't use in our everyday vernacular.”
She said kids also learn how a book works through the process, and modeling the behavior encourages them to read on their own.
Adult services librarian Rylee Broach said reading and listening to books also keeps adult brains sharp. Studies, including one from the International Psychogeriatrics Association, have found turning pages or listening to audiobooks prevents long-term cognitive decline as people age.
They’re also an opportunity to learn.
“It really just expands your view of the world and gives you different point of views that you might not get just maybe living in one area,” Broach said. “You're transported to different worlds in these books, whether they're nonfiction or fiction.”
Broach said adults unsure of what to read can pick up Summit County’s One Book, One Community novel: “Go as a River,” by Shelley Read. Part of the reading challenge, One Book, One Community aims to foster connection by having residents read the same book.
As motivation, locals get tickets for tracking reading progress, which can be submitted to earn prizes. Kmak said the library will host a drawing Aug. 9. Prizes include stuffed animals, Lego sets and a Kindle Fire.
“We encourage folks to double dip,” she said. “If you're an adult reading to your kiddo, count that towards your reading.”
Participants can also get tickets by attending library events, starting with the reading challenge kickoff June 7.
