FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 22, 2024) – The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) will host a Spring into Reading event on Friday, April 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT on the grounds of the State Library located at 300 Coffee Tree Road in Frankfort.
This inaugural Spring into Reading event promotes health, wellness and literacy and hopes to encourage reading at grade level. Participating elementary school students will have an opportunity to gather on the lawn to read and participate in other fun, literacy-focused activities. The event will celebrate the librarians and educators who encourage students every day.
“Reading a good book can open our minds to new ideas, teach our hearts about compassion and empathy and allow our imaginations to explore faraway places or transport us to a different time and space,” said First Lady Britainy Beshear. “I am so grateful for the work our public and school librarians across Kentucky do every day to instill a love of reading in our young people, which opens the door to a brighter future for all of Kentucky’s children.”
Kentucky has the most bookmobiles of any state in the nation, many offering special programming throughout the summer to reach children during their time away from the classroom. Spring into Reading will feature bookmobiles from some of KDLA’s public library partners where families can sign up to join a summer reading program, which helps to prevent learning loss.
Celebrated children’s author and illustrator Will Hillenbrand will lead the Spring into Reading program, sharing his inspiration for both writing and art. Other Spring into Reading event partners representing education, libraries and health promotion will provide a variety of activities for the children, who will receive a bag with books to take home with them. Board members from the Friends of Kentucky Libraries will provide snacks and water and will also volunteer at the event.
Kentucky public libraries are important partners in promoting healthy lifestyle practices across the commonwealth. A permanent StoryWalk® installation on the State Library’s grounds demonstrates KDLA’s active collaboration in support of literacy and health. Books featured on the StoryWalk® will change every few months, and KDLA is working on audio and multilingual story options to make the experience fully accessible and inclusive. The StoryWalk® experience first began at a small library in Vermont and is an important part of the Let’s Move in Libraries initiative, which highlights the importance of collaboration for community health.
“The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives is excited to bring together partners to celebrate the joy of reading, especially with the summer break approaching soon,” said KDLA Commissioner Denise Lyons. “Spring into Reading is a great opportunity for students to exercise their minds, plus the addition of the new StoryWalk® also provides a fun way to enjoy some exercise in an educational way.”
The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives is an agency of the Education and Labor Cabinet and is located at 300 Coffee Tree Road in Frankfort. KDLA provides many services in support of libraries, archives, records management, state employees, and the blind and print disabled through the Kentucky Talking Book Library. For more information, please visit kdla.ky.gov.
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