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Library to observe World Read Aloud Day

JVB Check It Out

Research shows that reading aloud to children every day puts them almost a year ahead of children who do not receive daily read alouds, regardless of parental income, education level or cultural background. That’s why the James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St., is encouraging everyone to read aloud together on the 11th annual World Read Aloud Day on Feb. 5.

Reading aloud to children is important because:

• If all children in low-income countries left school literate, 171 million people could move out of poverty, according to the World Literacy Foundation.

• Poorly literate individuals are less likely to participate in democratic processes and have fewer chances to fully exercise their civil rights, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

• Illiterate people earn 30 to 42 percent less than their literate counterparts, according to the World Literacy Foundation.

Reading together is a great way for families to bond. Reading together leads to questions about the book and the information within. It gives you a chance to speak about what is happening and use this as a learning experience.

Stop by the library for some recommended books to read aloud to your children, or download an e-book from OverDrive or Hoopla to read aloud.

The library supports the PA Forward statewide initiative, which believes that when Pennsylvania residents improve their command of basic literacy, they can achieve greater success as students, parents, employees, consumers and as citizens. This means a Pennsylvania with one of the highest literacy rates in the country, a trained and skilled workforce, and a growing economy, tax base and population.

— The James V. Brown Library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; and 24/7 at www.jvbrown.edu.

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