Pawsitive Reading Experience

By Maggie Murdock Nichols

teachers reach out to parents to ask what they are doing to improve their students’ reading. The only thing that changed was that the child had been reading to dogs.”

Bon, a twelve-year-old black labrador and golden retriever mix, wags his tail with controlled excitement as he sits beside his owner Shawn Coughlin. Bon is eager to greet children as they walk in with books in hand. Bon is a certified therapy dog and for the last ten years, has provided comfort for those left in the wake of natural disasters or for the sick in hospitals. Heidi Port, the volunteer coordinator for the Metropolitan Library System, says that therapy dogs enjoy coming to the library as a respite from what can be emotionally taxing work.

A Pawsitive Reading Experience

The Children Reading to Dogs program began in 2011. Heidi says, “We see kids who need practice, lack confidence, or are afraid to read out loud.” Dogs give reassurance to these readers because there is no judgment, only positive reinforcement. Children have grown up in the program, going from timid, quiet readers to expressive storytellers.

The program is back after a lengthy break. The Edmond library began renovations in December 2019 and soon after, in-person programming came to a halt during the pandemic. Shawn says, “Bon and I saw kids make huge leaps in their reading. We’re now seeing a whole new group come through.”

Kids greet the dogs with pets and pats on the head, sometimes cozying up and laying their heads down on the dog’s bellies as they read. Children practice reading all week in expectation of reading to the dogs. Heidi says, “We’ve had

Library Programming Reopens for All Ages

The Edmond branch of the Metropolitan Library Systems is the busiest library in the system, circulating more than one million books and other materials annually. The renovations and modified services due to the pandemic make the comeback of programming all the better.

This summer, the library will open in-person, indoor programming for library patrons five years and younger. Since the fall, storytimes have been held outdoors and are well attended. The staff is excited to bring storytime back inside with a whole new group of soon-to-be readers. The staff has witnessed preschoolers who attended storytime as babies, confidently walk their younger siblings in to show them all that can be discovered at the library.

Avoid the Summer Slide

The Summer Reading Program will be held from June through July. Rewards and prizes earned through the Summer Reading Program help prevent what’s referred to as the “summer slide”. The summer slide occurs between school years when kids do not read or otherwise work to retain what they learned in school. Kids who don’t take a break from reading during the summer fare better when school is back in session.

Children Reading to Dogs takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month with two sessions. Storytimes are held at various times throughout the week. Registration and more details for all events can be found at metrolibrary.org.