Read, Discuss, Do!

by Rebecca J. Gomez It's the middle of August, and school has started in lots of places, and if it hasn't for you, then it surely will soon. And that means kids will be bringing home books from the school library! During my years working in an elementary school library, I saw a lot of damaged books. And most of that damage was avoidable. With that in mind, here are ten tips for helping your children be responsible book borrowers. 1. Remind children that library books are meant to be enjoyed by everyone, so it's important to take care of them so they will last a long time and lots of other kids will be able to read them. 2. Talk about the proper way to handle a book to minimize wear and tear. Show children how to turn pages carefully, use bookmarks rather than "dog ears," avoid bending the spines too far, etc. 3. Give your children the freedom to choose their own books. If they want to read a book they will be more likely to take care of it. 4. Keep food and liquid