LANSING—Encouraging reading in September is great, but libraries should do it year-round, says Traverse Area District Library Director Michael McGuire.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has declared September as “Michigan Reads to Children Month,” saying “One of the very best gifts we can give our children is a love of reading.”

William Anderson, director of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries, said HAL emphasizes the importance of literacy at an early age, hoping to instill in children a life-long love of books.

“We want to encourage reading at a young age,” Anderson said. “It’s very clear that people who love to read and have strong reading skills have it nurtured at a young age.

“We want to help these children cultivate a skill and love of reading.”

McGuire said libraries around the state work hard year-round to accomplish the same objective.

“This is something we do day by day throughout the year,” he said. “We encourage children to read every single day we’re open.”

While reading faces more competition for a child’s attention than it once did, library statistics each year show children are reading more, not less, McGuire said.

“Our story time attendance has increased every year—it hasn’t gone down once,” he added. “The children’s books we loan out have increased every year.”

McGuire said he worries that reading isn’t the priority it once was, so new, creative ideas are needed to help bring in more children.

“We have special programs during the summer bringing in performers including jugglers, musicians and song-writers,” he said. “The kids love it, and the parents do, too.”

Boyne District Library Director Nannette Miller said September signals the beginning of new activities directed at young children.

“Three programs for young readers kicked off here this month,” Miller said. “We have our traditional story time, except this year it’s ongoing, no pre-registration required. It’s for children ages 3-5, and includes stories, songs, finger-plays, puppetsand crafts.

“A new program for us this year is the bedtime story time one evening a week in the library,” Miller added. “Kids of all ages are encouraged to wear their pajamas and bring a stuffed animal or favorite blanket. This includes stories, songs and cookies and milk.”

Mason County Library Assistant Director Susan Carlson said her library isn’t launching any new activities in September, adding that consistency with existing programs is more important that introducing new ones.

“We have story time twice a week, 52 weeks a year,” Carlson said. “That’s one of the things that helps build a program—you don’t take breaks.”

Carlson, who also serves as the library’s children’s program coordinator, added, “You keep your program consistent, every single week at the same time, all the time, so they know it’s there.

“Once you stop, you lose that momentum. People start to do something else on that Tuesday morning instead of come to story time.”

McGuire said there are limits to what local libraries can do. He advocates more state government involvement with developing educational opportunities for children.

“The government has the responsibility to promote all sorts of activities that improve a child’s life—that would include reading, music and the arts.”

Anderson said HAL does just that with Michigan Reads!

“Michigan Reads! is aimed at encouraging parents, family members and youngsters to read,” he said.

With a tight budget and education funds already dwindling, Anderson said it’s important that Target Corp. sponsored the program.

“We were fortunate to have Target like this program,” he said. “With funding from Target, we’ve been able to mail out over 5,000 reading kits to schools.”

The kits include the book “Big Chickens,” written by Michigan author Leslie Helakoski, along with a reading guide, stickers and activities for children.

Carlson acknowledged the good being done by Michigan Reads!, but said the formula for bringing kids into libraries and keeping them there is simple: Show them that you care.

“If you make the library warm and open and welcoming, they want to be with you,” she said. “They want to do what you’re doing.

“It’s a matter of forming an emotional attachment.”