Summer Reading Club

The 2022 Summer Reading Club (SRC) exciting new theme “All Together Now” invites kids to become familiar with the diverse stories and ideas that reading has to offer. The BC Summer Reading Club is a free literacy program designed to engage school-aged children, ages 5-14, with libraries and reading, throughout the summer. We strive to do so in a way that is fun, educational, inclusive and community-oriented.

Each year, the BC SRC commissions a BC artist to realize our annual theme. This year’s artist is Elaine Chen. Elaine is a video game artist by day and a children’s book illustrator the rest of the time. Elaine’s artwork is inspired by the natural world, and her family and her friends. In fact, a friendship inspired this year’s artwork:

“My inspiration for SRC’s artwork this year came from one of my loveliest of friends. She surprised me with a quilt she made for me, with all the patterns and fabric carefully chosen, just a couple of days before the SRC team and I had our first meeting. The idea of various scenes puzzled together in the form of a quilt came to me when I was reflecting on how everybody is connected. We are all a small piece of the human puzzle, of the big vast world, whether you believe it or not. The connection between my friend and I is like the connection between one piece of the fabric and the next; it is like one community to the next; and it also like you, reading these words right now.”

Every year in July and August HDPL offers an array of Summer Reading Club activities throughout the Hazeltons for kids aged 3 to 13. Participants can register at any point throughout the summer at any SRC program they attend, including those outside the library. This year, in addition to registering with the Summer Reading Club facilitator in your community, on-line registration is available. On registration, kids receive a kit to help them track their reading this summer. See our Events Calendar for the schedule of  Summer Reading Clubs in our communities, or call the library [ 250-842-5961 ].

As always, this program is free and designed for fun! Participants read what they choose, when they choose, and can attend as many events as they like or none at all. Children are encouraged to read, listen to stories and tell stories themselves. Storytelling builds strong language and vocabulary skills, so children should count storytelling as credit towards their reading goals. At club meetings, we play games, do crafts, read great books, and generally just have a good time. This year some free books may also be available for families, courtesy of LOGS, the Book Bus people. Children are encouraged to set their own summer reading goals, whatever that may be, and if they meet their goals they will be awarded shiny new SRC medals at summer’s end.

SRC is sponsored by the British Columbia Library Association, the Public Libraries Branch of the Ministry of Education, and CUPE. HDPL also gratefully acknowledges the support of the Northwest Library Federation, the Northwest Child Development Centre, and Learners Opportunity Group Society (LOGS). The support of local communities, agencies and businesses such as The Hazelton’s Health Food Store, The Kispiox Valley Community Association, Mt. Roche Church, the Village of Hazelton, and the Municipality of New Hazelton which make space possible our additional SRC activities and community SRC clubs and events.