Buel summer library program keeps students reading

During summer vacation, more than 100 students from the Buel Elementary School neighborhood kept up their reading skills by visiting the school library during summer hours every Thursday afternoon.

School volunteers and community members staffed the library program, checking out books, overseeing crafts, book and prize giveaways and providing snacks.

“We wanted them to have access to books over the summer to prevent summer reading loss,” said first-grade teacher ATaylor [at] msd [dot] k12 [dot] or [dot] us (Ali Taylor). “We also know from research that self-selected reading is an important factor in children being motivated to read during the summer, as well as seeing themselves as lifelong readers.”

The program was started by Taylor and Linfield education professor Mindy Larson with help from Buel librarian Sharon Bueler and Becky Pearson from the McMinnville Public Library.

“We got the idea for keeping the library open during the summer after attending a session at the Oregon Reading Association conference, in Portland in February,” said Taylor. “School libraries often have the most comprehensive collection of books available to some of our students.”

Taylor said that many staff, parents, and students, and Sue Buel herself, generously supported the program. Local businesses also provided donations. Reading for All provided books that each child could take with them after each visit, and Roth’s donated funds for a root beer float party on the last day of the program, Aug. 12.

Other donations were from the McMinnville Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO), the See Ya Later Foundation and other anonymous donors.