As members of the Kanab City Library Board, we have the privilege of seeing some of the work that happens behind the scenes at our library. But this summer, something happened that was impossible to miss.
Kanab City Library had its busiest summer of reading ever.
The numbers tell an incredible story. This year's Summer Reading Program had 725 people sign up, with 594 participants completing reading goals. Readers earned 2,919 prizes, and collectively, our community read an estimated 708,200 pages over the nine-week program. Even more impressive, 80 families stayed committed to their reading goals for six to nine weeks of the summer.
But as impressive as those numbers are, we believe the real success of this summer cannot be measured in pages, prizes or attendance.
It can be measured in imagination.
This year, the Kanab City Library partnered with the Kane County School District with a shared goal: keep our children reading during the summer and help prevent what educators call the “summer slide.” For our youngest students, particularly those in kindergarten through third grade, taking a long break from reading can mean returning to school having lost some of the reading and language skills they worked so hard to develop during the school year.
The school district stepped up in a tremendous way.
Superintendent Ben Dalton and district administrators supported the program with an incredible collection of large prizes, including electric scooters, bicycles, VR headsets, Kindles, sporting equipment, science and art prizes and gift cards for parents. Thirty-three larger prizes were offered as incentives, with children earning tickets toward the drawings as they met their reading goals.
And the kids loved it.
But what we loved seeing even more was what happened between the prizes.
We saw parents making a real effort to get their children into the library. We watched kids discover a new author, stumble upon a new series, or find an entirely new kind of book they couldn't wait to take home. We saw moms and dads sitting down with actual paper books and reading alongside their children.
The weekly prizes were a wonderful motivator. Children had something tangible to work toward each week, and there was genuine excitement when they came through the library to choose their reward. The library staff has shared that some children knew exactly what they wanted, while others could spend as long as 20 minutes deciding which prize was just right for them.
Those moments matter.
We all celebrate strong test scores. We want our children to advance in reading. We want them to return to school prepared and confident.
But there is something else we should be protecting.
The imagination.
In a world filled with screens, instant entertainment and information available at the touch of a button, the ability to sit quietly with a book and create an entire world inside your own mind is becoming increasingly precious.
A book doesn't show a child what a dragon looks like. It asks the child to imagine one.
A book doesn't decide what a character's voice sounds like. The reader does.
A book doesn't build the castle, the spaceship, the forest or the adventure. The child's imagination does.
And this summer, Kane County put books back into the hands of our children.
The library offered 23 programs throughout the summer, drawing 1,279 attendees. The opening celebration alone brought 187 people—the largest opening turnout yet—and the closing celebration brought another 111.
The success wasn't created by the library alone.
Local businesses generously contributed coupons and treats. The Friends of the Kanab City Library contributed $500 toward prizes. Community members shared their talents and knowledge, including staff and interns from the Paleontology Lab, and countless volunteers helped make the summer memorable.
And perhaps most importantly, Kane County came together.
Kanab, Valley and Big Water students and families participated. School administrators supported the effort. The Kane County School District invested in our children. The library staff created a welcoming place for them to come. Parents brought their kids through the doors. Local businesses donated. Volunteers showed up.
Everyone had a part.
As a Library Board, we are incredibly grateful for the work of our library staff and especially our librarian, Jana, whose dedication and enthusiasm helped make this summer what it was. The staff didn't simply hand out books and prizes. They created an environment where children wanted to return.
And that is a tremendous accomplishment.
We were especially delighted to hear that the school district hopes to continue partnering with the library during the school year. If this summer taught us anything, it is that our children benefit when the people and organizations who care about them work together.
The prizes will eventually be forgotten.
The number of pages read will eventually become a statistic.
But maybe, just maybe, a child who walked into the library this summer discovered a favorite author. Maybe they found a series they couldn't put down. Maybe they saw their mom or dad reading and realized that books aren't just something teachers assign at school.
Maybe they discovered that a library can be a place where you can get lost—in the very best possible way.
And that may be the greatest prize of all.
This summer, Kane County didn't just prevent the summer slide.
We gave our children a summer full of stories, discovery and imagination—and we did it together.
Rebecca Glover
Kanab City Library Board
