SYRACUSE. N.Y. (NCC News) — As the fall season rolls around, so does National Book Month.
The Northern Onondaga Public Library (NOPL) celebrates the importance of reading, not only during the month of October but year-round.
At the NOPL Syracuse branch, a weekly storytime with Youth Services Librarian Sarah Heukrath takes place. Ten years ago, Heukrath decided to take the position as an NOPL librarian and was asked to create a weekly designated reading time with children across the city.
Since taking over, Heukrath has seen a generation of children excel in the world of reading. Heukrath transforms a simple conference room tucked away in the NOPL library into a story and playtime paradise.
“It’s really nice to see the kids grow up. [It] makes me feel old sometimes.” Heukrath said. “When he started [attending], he wasn’t talking at all, now it’s nonstop!” She explained how one of the children has grown throughout the past year of attending weekly storytimes.
And while she’s seen children dive into different worlds through the act of reading, there has also been a stark change in the way children view it.
“I know there’s always people who will be like, ‘Oh, I hate reading,’ but I think it’s probably because they haven’t found a book they like yet,” Heukrath says.
According to the Pew Research Center, reading for fun in children ages 9 to 13 is at an all-time low. In fact, the percentage of 9-year-olds who read for fun went down nearly 10% in 2020. Heukrath believes this may be due to the lack of changes in schools’ reading curriculum – she mentioned that while she’s far removed from high school, students are still reading some of the same novels that were required when she attended.
But, thanks to weekly storytimes like Heukrath’s, things could be looking up. With librarians focused on including diverse storylines in children’s daily lives, they’re learning more than some classics may teach them.
“I wanna make sure kids are seeing themselves in the stories or even maybe seeing someone who doesn’t look like them,” Heukrath says.
Mother of one, Michelle Leal, attended her first storytime with “Miss Sarah” this week and says it was a great experience. She believes that while librarians are doing all they can to help encourage children to read more, the work starts at home.
She says she and her husband read about 15 to 20 short children’s books to their son each day.
“I love reading.” Leal said. “I’ve always loved reading, so I think if you model it, your kids will follow.”
Whether children decide to read at home, in school, or even at their local library, Heukrath hopes the community can see an increase in a love for reading once more.
Libraries are encouraging parents and teachers to celebrate National Book Month by visiting their local libraries, supporting independent bookstores, or even re-reading a favorite classic.
