Hollister
– Sunny days void of homework and classrooms didn’t stop 130 San
Benito County children from signing up for the summer reading
program at the library.
Hollister – Sunny days void of homework and classrooms didn’t stop 130 San Benito County children from signing up for the summer reading program at the library.
The San Benito County Free Library saw more than three times as many students sign up for its summer reading program this year than previous summers. With emphasis on new programs and an aggressive pursuit of funds, County Librarian Nora Conte is hopeful such growth will continue.
New programs launched this year – such as the storytime for kids program and the revamped literacy program – have attracted new library visitors.
Circulation has doubled since 2006. The number of items checked out monthly jumped from 4,000 to 6,000 from December to January. Circulation has increased steadily since then, reaching 8,000 as of July, Conte said.
“People wondering where kids are over the summer – a lot of them are here,” said Conte, who started the job in October.
Betty Mason, who works as the adult reference librarian, said she has been happy to see the increasing number of kids at the library.
“It’s been very exciting to see their faces and see them enjoying the activities,” she said.
The summer reading program, which began June 9 and will conclude with a celebration Thursday, was deemed successful by the library staff. Still, Conte said there are changes she plans to make for next year.
“As is customary with our programs, we go back and evaluate them,” she said. “Next year, I may want to extend it to the entire family. We’ll look at the whole aspect because reading is for the whole community.”
In particular, Conte said she wants to expand it beyond eighth-graders to high school students.
In addition to tweaking current programs, Conte plans to pursue more grants for the library. In April, the library received a $28,000 state grant for its adult literacy program. She noted how she’ll pursue more funds for a bookmobile.
She is confident the library will continue to grow and receive support.
“Our community, they’re supportive of the library,” Conte said. “They see the importance of a vibrant library.”
