Free to Read:

2019 Children’s Day/Book Day Events Support the Freedom of Choice in Reading

The Virtuous Cycle of Reading

If there is one value Americans hold dear, it is our freedom. Free to worship in the way we want, free to speak and protest, free to be.

That freedom is key in helping your child become confident and independent readers. Research shows that children who have a free choice of what to read are more likely to read longer and with more attention.

And the more a child reads, the more they will want to read – and the better they will become at reading. It’s a virtuous cycle that puts young readers on a track to succeed in school and life.

Reading Freely Leads to Reading Frequently

For reading outside of school, it’s important to free your child from the “read this, not that” box – let them choose what floats their reading boat!

Joke books? OK!

Books about how to survive in the desert? Why not!

Magazines about bugs, or American Dolls, or sports cars? Absolutely!

It all counts, and it all helps. As explained in the book “Readers, Reading, and Librarians“:

“Confident readers learn to read by reading – by reading a lot. The long apprenticeship in reading, which begins in childhood, is supported by school and public libraries, primarily by rich collections of books of all kinds that can be taken home, read aloud by parents and siblings, and read independently. What keeps children reading is the pleasure of the reading experience itself.”

The Library Is Your Freedom Fighter

The Tulsa City-County Library is the perfect place to support this freedom to read. Not only do we have thousands upon thousands of children’s books, magazines, and audiobooks to choose from – a veritable cornucopia of fascinating topics, characters, settings, and facts, at least one of which will interest your child – but we have professional children’s librarians and library staff who love nothing better than to help you connect your child to reading material they will love.

Furthermore, we work very hard to create programs and events to introduce your child to books and reading, from discussion groups to book-related movie showings.

Our latest freedom-to-read crusade involves offering a variety of Children’s Day/Book Day events during the month of April, sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust.

Children’s Day/Book Day Events

Children’s Day/Book Day (also known as Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros) is an international holiday that connects children with books, and the Tulsa City-County Library is 100% in. While Children’s Day is traditionally celebrated on April 30, our branches have opted to celebrate it throughout the month of April.

Two of our most popular Children’s Day events will be a Kids Read Book Swap and a Kids Read Free Read Festival.

At the Book Swaps – one at the Jenks Library on Saturday, April 13 from 10:30 until 11:30 a.m. and one at the Peggy Helmerich Library on Tuesday, April 30 from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m. – children may bring in up to 6 gently used books to trade for new-to-them books. Registration is required so be sure to call 918-549-7323 to sign up!

At the Free Read Festivals – see “Free Read Festival” information box for a full list of libraries, dates, and times – school-aged kids are invited to take a journey of awesome books and learn how to find books they will LOVE!

Other branch libraries will be offering other fun activities centered on kids and reading. Check www.tulsalibrary.org for more information.

See You at the Library!

We hope you will choose to come to the library soon, whether it is to attend one of these events or just to check out everything we have to offer.

After all, it is your right as an American citizen to exercise your freedom to read!

At a recent Kids Read Free Read Festival, a young reader writes down his choice of books. At these Children’s Day events in April, children will have the opportunity to participate in a “book walk” – a variety of books set on the floor in a continuing line – to find books they might want to read.  

Children’s Day – Kids Read Free Read Festival Events

At these events, kids will learn how to find books that they will LOVE. Games, door prizes, and refreshments!

• Broken Arrow Library – Tuesday, April 30, 4-5 p.m.
• Central Library – Saturday, April 27, 1:30-3:30 p.m. (Come and go)
• Collinsville Library – Tuesday, April 23, 6-7 p.m.
• Maxwell Park Library – Tuesday, April 30, 4-6 p.m. (Come and go)
• South Broken Arrow Library – Saturday, April 6, 2-3 p.m.
• Owasso Library – Thursday, April 18, 6-7 p.m.