Vance library offers a variety of summer reading programs

  • Published
  • By Jessica Gibson
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Summer is a busy time for Vance's library, said Mary Arthur, the head librarian. The library has several programs for Vance's youth to help kids continue reading throughout the summer. "It's to make sure they do not forget everything they learned in school," Ms. Arthur said.

This is the first summer that adults are also invited to join the library's programs.

A Midsummer Knight's Read is a summer-long reading competition that started June 1 and will end July 31. Youth who will be entering first through seventh grade and adult readers 19 and over can sign up at any time. Each "Royal Reader" will receive a book bag of goodies related to reading. At the end of the program readers will tally up the number of books they read over the summer and prizes will be distributed to youth and adults with the most books read.

Book Over to Bowling also started on June 1, and runs the whole summer for readers from 3 years of age to those entering seventh grade. Upon signing up, readers will receive a bookmark to track their progress. For each book read, readers get one punch hole in their bookmark, and once they have accumulated five punches readers can play up to three free games of bowling at the Falcon's Nest Bowling Center.

On July 13 and 27, school-age youth are invited to join in craft activities and story time at the library.

For every three non-fiction or five fiction books checked out, adults 19 and over will be placed in a drawing for a Wings To Go gift card. The more books checked out, the more chances adult readers will have in the drawing.

Besides books, the library also rents out music CDs and books on CD and cassette tape. Some DVDs can also be checked out free of charge and other rent for $1 a day. For traveling readers, the library offers the "A Play Away" program in which readers can rent small MP3 players with pre-downloaded audio books for children and adults.

Ms. Arthur emphasized the importance of reading in children's lives. "It opens up a world to them," she said, getting choked up. "Some of those stories are so fantastic, and watching kids read warms my heart," she said.

She also strongly highlighted the influence of reading on education. "Education is important to go as far as you can," she said, explaining how books and studying are key aspects of a good education.

Ms. Arthur was also excited about including adults in this year's summer programs. Adults can learn so much information through reading, she said. At the very least, "It's just something different!"

On her desk, Ms. Arthur keeps a photo of the original library building that operated until 1954, when it was replaced with the current building. The faded, sepia-tinted photo shows a small, slightly run-down shack that stood just across the street from Building 500. Ms. Arthur keeps the photo on her desk to remind her of where the library started. She gazed sentimentally at the photo and said, "We've come a long way from there."