School’s Out But Elementary School Libraries Are In Demand

It’s summer break for school kids, but that doesn’t mean they’re taking a vacation from books.

On a nice summer evening you might expect to find most kids watching a movie or playing video games, but not 7-year-old Miles Culver.

The State College resident put his reading hat on Wednesday evening and went to the Houserville Elementary School library to read some of his favorite books.

And he wasn’t alone. More than 50 kids filled the library with smiles on their faces and lots of energy.

Right as they walked in, each kid either bolted to the arts and craft tables to make colorful butterflies or started searching the shelves for a favorite book.

“I love coming here,” says Culver. “The coolest thing is that we can get a lot of books here.”

The State College Area School District’s School Library Program has been around for more than 20 years. It began when members of the PTO came up with the idea of opening up the libraries over the summer. Parents donated money to pay staffers and the costs associated with keeping the libraries open.

“Reading is a lot of fun,” says seven-year-old Owen Anderson. “It teaches you a lot of things and it makes you smart.”

“You know, it doesn’t cost any money to come in and read to your kids,” says Mardi Frye, librarian at Houserville Elementary. “The kids have fun because they’re surrounded by kids their age and it gives them a chance to make friends.”

According to Frye, the atmosphere in the library is always upbeat. Parents love spending time with their children, so coming to the library together is another way to strengthen the bond between a kid and his parents.

After more than two decades the program is still a hit every year. A large reason is because the kids have the freedom to choose any book instead of the school telling kids what to read.

“We’ve been coming here for about six or seven years now,” says Farzana Naurin, a State College resident. “My kids love to come here because they like reading and it’s a good program.”

And if your children aren’t big on reading, 11-year-old Abdullah Aslam has some friendly advice.

“Find a book that is similar to your interests in life,” says Aslam. “There are a lot of books out there so I recommend you try a few genres before you select what you like.”

Look below to see when the libraries are open:

Library Hours:

Ferguson Elementary School:Tuesdays 1:00- 3:00 p.m. through July 28.

Houserville Elementary School: Wednesdays 6:00- 8:00 p.m. through July 29.

Gray Woods Elementary School: Thursdays 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. through July 30.

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