September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and the Lee County Public library wants to make sure that your child is among the two-thirds of Americans that carry the smartest card of all – a library card.

Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.

"A library card has always been the most important school supply of all," says Brenda Brisbon, Children’s Librarian. "Children can come to the library to get homework help and check out books, but they can also check our free music, DVDs and use the Internet to make after school life a little more fun. There’s a lot happening at our library"

A recent study by the American Library Association also showed that families use libraries to spend time together. Forty-four percent of survey respondents report taking their children to the library for this reason.

Activities at the library during Library Card Sign-up Month will include: school visits, contests and promotions. Library Card Sign-up Month began in 1987.

The Librarians are working on a new program! We are putting together a Fall/Winter Reading Program – similar to the Summer Reading Program. The Fall/Winter program will feature field trips and possibly movie screenings. We are modifying the program so that students can participate without interfering with their schoolwork. We think this could be an exciting addition to our current programs and we hope interested individuals will contact us for more information.

Last week, Editorial Writer Ray Alexander wrote about the hidden dangers the Internet poses for children and young adults. We at the library are fully aware that the Internet poses severe challenges for parents and caretakers. Here at the library we have the ability to monitor our patrons usage, but home usage can be troublesome. We have, for the last year, offered an Internet safety program to help parents identify risks and protect their children. This program is free and can be offered at the parent’s convenience. If you are interested, please call Elizabeth at the library 484.5921.

Fun Factoid: Today is "Be Kind to Humankind Day." So everybody get in the sandbox and play nice.