Youths help library set records

Children are scooping up thousands of library books as more kids than expected get involved in a reading program, librarians say.

[Times photo: Mat May] Melanie Dudas, 15, left, and Mandy Bellingar, 12, peruse magazines at the Oldsmar Library Monday. The library saw a dramatic increase in check-outs and program participation by children during June.

By MATTIAS KAREN

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 18, 2000

OLDSMAR -- It seems Harry Potter isn't the only game in town.

In Oldsmar, more old-fashioned books about things like animals and nature seem to have as much of a draw for area youngsters as the young British wizard.

The month of June saw a record number of books checked out by children from the Oldsmar Library, and attendance for the library's annual summer reading program also well exceeded expectation, librarians said.

Children younger than 18 checked out 6,441 books during June, more than twice the number for the same month last year. It's an even bigger increase compared to months when school is in session, when children usually check out between 2,300 and 2,700 books per month. The number also is higher than the number of books checked out by adults in June -- 3,565 -- which is unusual for the library.

"Wow, that's great, isn't it?" children's librarian Kathleen Matheny said when she saw the figures.

The library also set an all-time record in June for library visitors in one month: 9,190. Between October and June, the library had 66,285 visitors. In the entire 1997-98 fiscal year, the library had 72,982 visitors. The number of registered patrons also has increased dramatically in the last couple of years, from 7,760 in 1998 to 12,047 this year. That's a 55 percent increase.

"We beat all records again," Library director Roberta Weber said. "We've been very busy."

Matheny credited the Florida Library Youth Program for many of the high figures. The annual program is designed to bring more children to local libraries during the summer by offering story time sessions and weekly visits from entertainers, animal keepers and others.

The goal, Matheny said, "is to catch them in the summer and then keep reading . . . so they don't fall back in the fall."

Between June 12 and June 30, the different programs saw a total of 1,400 children, ranging from toddlers to fifth-graders.

"We've had a wonderful turnout," Matheny said. "Way more than I anticipated."

The six-week program, which ends Friday, follows guidelines set by the state Library of Florida, which sets themes for each of the weeks. Themes this year included "Tale spins," which dealt with folk and fairy tales, and "The Place Where I live," which talked about places around the world. Library officials pick books related to those themes to read to the children.

Each Monday, children gathered in the Oldsmar City Council chambers for activities ranging from learning about animals to watching a magician. The first Monday featured a representative and a live Florida panther from the Panther Survival Project. Lowry Park zoo keepers brought animals the second Monday, and magician Sammy Smith performed the third.

The Monday sessions were meant to get kids interested in different subjects so they will read more about them.

"What's a panther got to do with reading?" Matheny said. "Well, then we have all the wildlife books laid out when we come back (to the library)."

Tuesdays featured stories and songs for toddlers, while Wednesdays have had story programs for first-graders and older. Those sessions have featured puppet shows and other creative dramatics to make the stories more captivating, Matheny said.

"Just anything to get them excited about being in the library and excited about books," she said.

The program will end with a big party Friday, with cake and snacks, Matheny said.

- Staff writer Mattias Karen can be reached (727) 445-4243 or at northpin@sptimes.com.

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