Education and Child Care
Journeys to far-off lands, world exploration and missions to space are fuelling literacy skills around the province, thanks to the Summer Reading Club.
This year’s club theme, “Book a Trip”, offers seven weeks of travel and reading inspiration for young learners.
Education Minister Mike Bernier voyaged to the Greater Victoria Public Library’s Central branch to join a group of motivated readers for story time, reading Explorers of the Wild by Cale Atkinson and Dojo Daytrip by Victoria author Chris Tougas. Offered at public libraries across the province, the Summer Reading Club builds literacy skills and encourages creative discovery.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Summer Reading Club also helps kids stick to their reading goals, grow their love of reading and prevent summer reading loss. Voluntary reading strongly encourages and establishes good reading habits and has a positive connection to future success in school and lifelong learning. Improving the literacy skills of all British Columbians is vital to B.C.’s social and economic development as a province.
The Summer Reading Club reaches more than 80,000 young learners during July and August. All public libraries in B.C. offer summer reading programs. Each year the Ministry of Education provides $50,000 in funding to the B.C. Library Association to coordinate 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: commons.bclibraries.ca
(flickr.com) Mike Bernier, Minister of Education –
“For 25 years, young British Columbians have been charting their literacy growth with the Summer Reading Club. This year’s theme inspires us all to escape to new places through story. When students head back to school in September, they’ll be ready, thanks to B.C. libraries.”
Kevin Murdoch, board chair, Greater Victoria Public Library –
“The Summer Reading Club is a rewarding experience for children in our communities. It cultivates a love of reading and builds on lessons that are taught during the school year. We are proud to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, a network of library partners and community supporters to deliver this program. Together, we are putting books into the hands of young readers and supporting their ability to learn and thrive.”
Annette DeFaveri, executive director, British Columbia Library Association –
"Each year, the BC Summer Reading Club connects children with fun and engaging ways to maintain their literacy skills, to meet new friends, to learn about their library and their community, and to develop a lifelong love of reading. These are the first steps that our children take on the road to citizenship. Accessible and free, the BC Summer Reading Club reaches children and their families throughout the province."
Quick Facts:
- The BC Summer Reading Club is sponsored by the British Columbia Library Association and public libraries throughout British Columbia, with support from the Province of British Columbia, through Libraries Branch, Ministry of Education, and the RBC Foundation.
- Seven weekly sub-themes have been selected to use as inspiration for programs, activities, displays and contests.
- Explore your own backyard - local sights, BC landmarks, animals of BC
- Discover the universe - science fiction, space, aliens
- Wander into the past - history, historical fiction, archaeology
- Tour the world - world travel, wonders of the world, geography
- Travel using your imagination - fantasy, magic, imaginary worlds
- Journey by train, plane, automobile - modes of transportation (past, present and future)
- Play around the globe - games and puzzles from around the world
- There are 71 public library systems in B.C. with over 247 library branch locations serving more than 360 communities.
- In 2015, there were nearly 60 million physical and digital visits to libraries.
Learn More:
Summer Reading Club: http://bcsrc.ca/
Greater Victoria Public Library: http://gvpl.ca/
