My name is Erika Brock, and I am a Youth Services Librarian at Transylvania County Library. The Rootle Roadster Tour came to Brevard in Transylvania County on Saturday, March 26, 2022, for its kick-off event. I have been a Rootle Ambassador for almost a year, and this event was a highlight! The collaborative efforts from the Rootle team at PBS North Carolina and our community partners were exceptional, and the event was a big success. It was a joy to see children and families actively engaged in learning activities outside on the library lawns and squealing with delight as they pointed to cut-outs of favorite PBS KIDS characters. If you came to our event, thank you for being a part of it. If you can visit a future stop on the Rootle Roadster Tour, mark it in your calendar.
Now that the end of the school year is in sight, librarians all around the country are turning their focus to the Summer Reading Program. Summer Reading is as important as it is fun. As educators and librarians have long stressed, summer reading activities reap big benefits for the kids who get involved by helping to keep their reading skills sharp. By participating in Summer Reading, children keep their minds engaged, retain the skills they have learned and prevent “summer slide” so that they enter school in the fall ready to learn and succeed.
Your library is a natural place for students to continue their learning over the summer. Libraries offer free access to books and reading in many forms—graphic novels, audiobooks, eBooks and more. Reading books that appeal to a child’s interests is a great way to build their reading confidence and love of books. Your local librarian can help you find old and new favorites.
Many libraries offer incentives to sign up and complete the Summer Reading Program. Free prize books are a part of the Transylvania County Library’s program along with other fun rewards. Earning prizes is easy—just read a few minutes a day all summer long. We offer programs for all ages from birth to adult so the whole family can participate.
In addition to the Summer Reading Program, many libraries offer other educational and entertaining programs throughout the summer and all year long. Let’s help our youth stay engaged while having fun this summer. There is something for everyone at your local library!
Erika Brock leads the Youth Services team for the Transylvania County Library in Brevard, NC. She works with community partners, families, caregivers and youth of all ages to foster lifelong learning and provide fun, engaging learning opportunities. Erika has been a part of Transylvania County’s Early Childhood Initiative, GetSet Transylvania, since its inception in 2015. She serves as the co-chair for the GetSet Family Support Committee, organizing events such as the Family Dinner Series and assisting with creating and building family toolkits. Erika holds a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science: International Studies and a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Wayne State University.