1 in 4

1 in 4--the headline reads "1 in 4 adults read no books last year."

What a shame...all the enjoyment and knowledge that is missing from their lives.

Everyone has priorities and work, TV, Internet may be more important for some than reading.

The article only talks about reading books, not magazines or newspapers. I hope that one person is reading something.

At least our library users are the other three of the four. I worry, though, about the other one.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month

School starts in our area this week. Does your child have a library card?

September is library card sign-up month. This is an annual nation wide initiative to remind parents that a library card is the most important of all school supplies.

Libraries play an important role in the education and development of children. 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.

Registration is free to residents of all three counties in the Cooperative. Parents need to register for children. You need an ID that has your current address on it; or your old ID with an official piece of mail.

Hurricane season in Florida

Hurricane season started in June and will go through November 30. We've been lucky so far here in our area, but it is still necessary to plan for emergencies.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has made planning a bit easier. They've posted a webpage that will help you think through your emergency plans, fill in contact info and generate an emergency checklist for you and your family and pets. After you've filled in your information the printout includes contact numbers for local emergency management and maps of evacuation routes for your area. There is also a page for business owners.

Emergencies aren't just hurricanes. In our area we know they can be wildfires or flooding. Take a look at the Emergency Management webpage and get reliable, accurate information.

A Great Deal

Florida State Parks celebrate literacy in September.

With your library card, a library book, or a donation of a gently used family appropriate book you can gain free admission to a Florida State Park in September.

There are many parks in our area, and September is a perfect time to visit one.