As you browse the library catalog or select books to read from your TBR (to be read) pile this summer, it is important to remember what librarians know as Raganathan’s second law of library science, “For Every Reader, Their Book.”
Raganathan, who published his five laws of library science in 1931 as guiding principles for librarians, crafted this law to emphasize that people and books are individuals, there is no one-size-fits-all for books and readers. For librarians, this “law” means that the collections in the library should provide an array of choices so that each reader can find a book that speaks to them. For readers, this means finding a book they enjoy reading, not the book they feel they should read. Perhaps some people who think they don’t like reading, have just not yet met “their book!”
There are many times in our lives where we have to read things, be it work emails, instructions, forms and paperwork, but summer reading is not one of them! Summer reading is pleasure reading, and it should be...a pleasure! Pick a genre, length and format you love and read at a speed that you find enjoyable. Don’t let the guilt of what and how fast you should be reading ruin the fun of summer reads. Are you working all summer and short on time? Put that commute to use and try an audiobook. Many comedians and humor writers record their own books and they can be a lighthearted way to spend your drive time.
For children and teens now is the perfect time to read the graphic novels, short books or series books they love but couldn’t read during the school year. Kids making some friendship bracelets this summer? Why not listen to an audiobook of some poetry (tortured or not) at the same time! The benefits of audio books and graphic novels are well documented for emergent, struggling and strong readers alike for vocabulary building, story synthesis and reading engagement.
Above all, this summer have some fun reading. Find your book at the public library, our collections are made for it.
As always, we’d like to recommend some of our programs to our readers. On July 27 from noon until 3 p.m., we’ll be hosting a “Stuff the Truck” event in partnership with ReStore - Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh. They’re looking for furniture, appliances, housewares, building supplies, hardware/tools, and more, just make sure they’re in clean/gently used condition. For a full list of accepted items, go online to newburghrestore.org and click DONATE.
We also want to remind everyone that account and circulation services such as checking books in or out will be unavailable from August 1 through August 4.
You may have noticed that our website has been recently upgraded! As always, you can find us online by pointing your web browser to goshenpubliclibrary.org.
Goshen Public Library & Historical Society
Goshen