Library use

Six respondents said they had public library cards and take their children to the library occasionally or regularly. One person with 8 and 10 year old children said they go to the library every second week and “take out 10 to 15 books because reading is very important in our family.” School aged children are more likely to use the public library in the summer or when school is closed.

Eight respondents said their children had a public library card but either do not use it or rarely use it.

Two parents of teenagers said their children were avid readers when they were younger and visited the library summer reading programs but now dislike reading. They would, however, go to Chapters occasionally to read.

One parent said her teenager does not enjoy reading books, but she “likes teen magazines so I’m always buying her magazines.”

Of the 14 respondents with school aged children, 11 said their children brought books home from school. These books were usually accessed from the school library rather than distributed by the teacher. This applied to all levels of education.

Eleven respondents reported having many children’s books at home. Some children have their own bookshelves with up to 300 books.