The sounds of creativity echoed through the Greater Victoria Public Library’s Central Branch today as Minister of Education Peter Fassbender was joined by young learners for a morning of reading and Lego building, celebrating the BC Summer Reading Club.

This year’s club theme, “Build It!” encourages kids to use technology, crafts, architecture and imagination to explore books and get a head-start to hands-on learning. Offered at public libraries throughout the province, the Summer Reading Club builds literacy skills and encourages creative discovery.

The Summer Reading Club helps kids stick to their reading goals and prevents summer reading loss. Voluntary reading strongly encourages and establishes good reading habits, and has a positive connection to future success in school. Improving the literacy skills of all British Columbians is vital to the province’s social and economic development.

The Summer Reading Club reaches over 85,000 young learners during July and August. All public libraries in B.C. take part in the program. Each year the Ministry of Education provides $50,000 in Funding to the BC Library Association to co-ordinate the Summer Reading Club and provide materials to libraries.

To connect with a local summer reading program, parents can contact their local library. A list of libraries is online at www.commons.bclibraries.ca

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Quotes:

Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education -

“Reading is life’s essential skill. The Summer Reading Club gives kids the tools to explore their own literacy journey, while discovering new books, new ideas and new stories. I know every child participating this summer is reaching new reading goals, keeping their reading skills sharp, and getting ready for the new school year in September.”

Maureen Sawa, CEO, Greater Victoria Public Library -

"The annual Summer Reading Club is a wonderful way to get kids excited about reading and encourage learning while school is out. Public libraries offer a tremendous range of opportunities for young people to thrive and build new skills - whether byborrowing books,participating in group activities or learning something new at a library program.”

Quick Facts:

• The Summer Reading Club is sponsored by the British Columbia Library Association and local public libraries, with funding from the Libraries Branch, Ministry of Education, and the RBC Foundation.
• Each public library creates its own unique SRC using the provincewide theme and materials.
• There are 71 public library systems in B.C. with 243 library locations serving more than 360 communities.
• Total visits to libraries remain historically high, with nearly 58 million visits in 2013, of which 31.6 million were in-person. One reason for the increased traffic is due to raised programming levels, including a 14% increase in the number of programs offered to patrons in-library, and a 17% increase in out-of-library programming, primarily in schools.

Learn More:

Official Summer Reading Club website: http://bcsrc.ca/

A backgrounder follows

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Education
250 356-5963

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BACKGROUNDER

Summer reading tips for families

• Establish a regular reading time for all members of the family.
• Help your child set a realistic summer reading goal. This could include reading a certain number of books per week, reading for at least 15 minutes every day, or exploring books of a particular topic.
• Share stories as dinner conversation or before bedtime.
• Encourage your child to share and read favourite stories with you.
• Read to your child. Young readers can understand far more advanced vocabulary and complex stories than they are able to read.
• Have your child read aloud to you.
• Appreciate all books your child shows interest in, no matter the subject material or reading level.
• Take your child to your local public library to attend Summer Reading Club programs.
• Find and read books that help you learn something new.

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Education
250 356-5963