Read a Book and Make a Difference in a Child’s Life

It is wonderful to see that you have added a weekly section on reading to your Sunday paper. It provides information to people who care about the ability of our children to read.

Your Nov. 8 page described the Grandparents and Books program at the Los Angeles Public Libraries. The Ventura County Library Services Agency also offers a Grandparents and Books program at six of our libraries. We were awarded California state library grants for the Fillmore Library, Moorpark Library, Ojai Library, Ray D. Prueter Library in Port Hueneme and the Avenue and H.P. Wright libraries in Ventura.

The Grandparents and Books program is a volunteer program in which “grandparents” read informally to preschool and elementary school children in a library setting. Children may come to the library and ask a volunteer grandparent to read a book to them. The grandparents will help children select stories appropriate to their age and interests.

Having been a grandparent volunteer myself at the Avenue Library, I can speak for the great feeling of personal satisfaction one receives when children eagerly wait at the library for you to read a book to them. Volunteers are always needed and are asked to commit two hours a week for a minimum of three months. People who want to volunteer may call me at 652-7517.

Research indicates that children who are read aloud to obtain a higher level of achievement in school. Reading aloud to children helps them to learn to read, acquire language skills, develop their imaginations and establish a pattern for lifelong reading.

Thank you for spreading the word that adults provide an invaluable service when they read to a child.