BY KADIE VICK FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Auburn Public Library is promoting community reading through its seasonal learning challenges. The challenges are meant to emphasize the importance of lifelong learning and reading habits. “Learning can be fun, you learn through play, as well as reading so we wanted to encompass a more holistic picture of learning,” said Cynthia Ledbetter, APL’s outreach librarian. Seasonal learning challenges are held over the course of two months, four times a year, with a month break in between each challenge. Participants can track their 1,000 minutes of reading on the Beanstalk app. “We decided on 1,000 minutes, because that averages to approximately 20 minutes a day of reading,” Ledbetter said. “Studies have shown that if you read 20 minutes a day, then you can keep up your literacy skills. And that goes for children and adults, because studies have also shown that adults who don’t continue to read will lose literacy skills, as well.” With every seasonal learning challenge, community engagement increases. “Last summer, we wanted to hit one million minutes read for everybody who participated in the challenge, and we surpassed that, so each season and each year we’re seeing it grow,” Ledbetter said. The next challenge will begin March 1 and will end April 30. Those who complete the challenge can choose between an Auburn public library sweatshirt or T-shirt. “The spring Learning Challenge will be themed, the birds and blooms,” said Ledbetter. “Everybody who registers for the challenge can pick up a registration prize while supplies last.” Auburn Public Library offers a range of other events and activities for the community. For example, the high school book club encourages local students to explore the world of literacy together in a community they build. “It’s a monthly book club, you read any book in that genre for that month … and then you just come and share your share your book opinions,” Ledbetter said. There are also events for children, including puppet shows, story time, arts and crafts and more. “Culture Explorers, which is a club for grades four through six, exposes children to other cultures around the world,” Ledbetter said. Librarians cultivate these activities to help educate and expose children to new topics, books and ideas they might not otherwise learn. For more information on opportunities to get involved, visit the Auburn Public Library website www.auburnpubliclibrary.org.
