Author: Neena McBaer

We have been very fortunate to have several wonderful interns rejoin our Book Buddy program this spring!  That is good news for families, because it means there are more reading practice slots to help your growing readers.  If you are not familiar with our Book Buddy program you should know that our trained teen volunteers work 1:1 with new, reluctant or struggling readers to help encourage and support their growing reading skills. Our teen interns will: ★ Listen to your child read. ★ Encourage & support reading strategies. ★ Ask your child important question to increase understanding of the story as he or she reads. ★ Read to your child to support comprehension. When you sign your child up, we arrange for 30 minutes of quality reading time with a “big brother or big sister” in a supervised setting. This is a great opportunity for your child to receive individualized attention and reading practice all at the same time.  The program will take place on Saturday, April 18th, May 2nd and May 16th in two...

What is Team Hogan? It’s Hogan, a certified therapy dog and Ms. Vicki providing a relaxed reading setting for your reluctant reader! For some young children, one of the big challenges in learning to read is the embarrassment of making mistakes. Reading to dogs provides a simple solution — a non-judgmental, comforting furry friend who “listens” and takes the pressure off children when they read. “Children need a lot of practice to become good readers,” said Ms. Karen, Children’s Services Coordinator at the Pawling Library.  “Sometimes when students practice they misread words and feel uncomfortable.  Therapy dogs provide a risk-free practice session for children to read without the fear or stress of making mistakes. This gives children a chance to relax and focus on practicing their skills.  It can work wonders for new and reluctant readers. Reading with a therapy dog not only reduces anxieties and fears about reading, but it can increase children’s attention span and confidence and motivate them to practice more.” Hogan, our evening literacy canine is a chocolate lab and a...

We’re thinking spring here at the Pawling Library!  Our Spring Children’s Programs are ready for you to review and it’s quite a line up!  Check out all of our new offerings including: Operation: TEAMWORK, Butterfly Feeding Dish Family Craft, Pawling Library’s Amazing Race and pre-school Science Buddies!  We hope everyone will find something to enjoy at the library this spring! A Spring 2015 Lottery Registration Form can be printed at home or you can pick one up at the library circulation desk.  Registration will open on Monday, March 9th at 12:00 pm and registration forms will be accepted through Sunday, March 16th.  Families must contact the library to confirm registration status! Beginning Wednesday, March 18th at 10 am, you can either stop in and pick up your confirmation sheet, or call the library to check on your child’s status. If you have any questions about programs, please feel free to contact Ms. Karen.  She would be happy to help you find great programs for your child!