LIBRARY SHOWS INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION

All ages enjoy snacks at the Food Fair program at the library in Jackson.

Summer Reading Pick up at Riverside Regional library in Jackson. Travis Roth, Stacy Roth, Eric Roth, and Ryan Roth picking out their Summer Reading Book for participating in the program.

This summer area children enjoyed "Opening Doors to Fun, Facts and Fantasy" in the Summer Reading Program at Riverside Regional Library. Children's Librarian, Lynn Farrow, said the program this year was highly successful with more participation than ever. Numbers of those who registered to read books and who participated in the programs held at the main facility and all branches in the library district's three counties totaled 2,203, up by about 500 from the year before.

The Summer Reading Program is sponsored by the State Library in Jefferson City and centers around a different them each year. Children from preschool through high school ages can register to read books, turn in log sheets with the titles of the books they read and receive certificates and other rewards for reading, such as food coupons, bookmarks, stickers, etc. It is the goal of Riverside Regional Library to emphasize the joys of reading and reward every child for participating. This year every child who returned to pick up his or her reward packet also received his or her own book.

Along with good reading, the library also offered various programs, attended by children and adults alike. Some of the programs offered year were "Have a Heart" by Scott Givens on physical fitness, "Airports and Flying," presented by Jill Pinkley and "Air Bear," "Snakes," with Karel Edgar of Americorp, "Pet Care" with Cindy Lange of the Cape Girardeau Humane Society, and "Tall Tales," presented by Lynn Farrow. The Altenburg branch library offered a game room, in which children could come and play board games set up around the room. The highlight of this summer's offerings were the magic shows presented by area magician Bill Coomer.

Riverside Regional Library serves the counties of Cape Girardeau, Perry and Scott with branches in Perryville, Altenburg, Scott City, Benton, Morley and Oran along with the main facility in Jackson.