For the next six weeks, the Elementary and Middle/High School public libraries will open their doors to students in the 5th, 6th and 9th grades to gather as their own type of "book club" - with some other fun activities mixed in.

BKW's libraries, along with staff from the Berne Public Library just down the road from the BKW campus are working together on a program that offers spirited book discussions to 5th, 6th and 9th graders during student lunch periods. In addition, other community activities co-sponsored by BKW and the Berne Public Library are planned.

This program, aimed at sparking interest in reading among students and fostering future partnerships between BKW and the public library, is made possible by a $640 grant obtained by the Berne Public Library through Upper Hudson Library Systems. Berne Elementary School Librarian Karen Canfield and BKW Middle/High School Librarian Beth Davis helped Stempel write the grant, while Davis picked many of the books being used during the program.

"With this grant I thought we could put together a short program that encourages communication between both organizations as well as promotes reading," said Kathy Stempel, youth services coordinator and library assistant at the Berne Public Library.

One day per week, students will buy their lunch and then make their way to either the Elementary or Middle/High School library to spend time reading and discussing with Stempel and/or Canfield and Davis. A number of other family activities are planned at the school in conjunction with the program, including scavenger hunts and movie nights.

Stempel said she originally wrote the grant to help foster a stronger partnership with BKW and promote reading as a fun and imaginative activity.

"I thought the public library and the school could partner up with activities and reading materials," she said. "Here at the public library we had all of the required summer reading books available for the students. In addition, many students are referred here if the school libraries couldn't get a hold of a particular title. It's situations like this that made us want to strengthen our partnership and work together on more opportunities to encourage reading among the students."

Planned activities for participating students and their families are as follows:

Scavenger Hunts

6:30 p.m. October 3 for 5th graders
6:30 p.m. October 10 for 6th graders

6:30 p.m. October 17 for 9th graders

Movie Nights

Dates and times to be announced!

Check www.bkwschools.org or sign up for SNN for event updates and times.