Welcome to the August issue of the Reading Corner! This Summer was filled with some amazing and memorable events. Congratulations to the over 1200 participants that registered for our Summer Reading Program this year! We had 944 children, 191 Teens, and more than 750 books read by adults this summer. This is the highest participation the libraries have had since the addition of the Library Bookvan and the expansion of the program to all the branches. 

We want to applaud our community for reading their way through the summer! To celebrate, this past Saturday, July 30, 2022, the Goleta Valley Library hosted a Summer Splash party featuring crafts, games, prizes, activities, and even special guests from Seven Seas Press, Ice in Paradise, The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, UCSB H.E.A.R. and Santa Barbara Face Painting. Solvang Library hosted an Ice Cream Social to celebrate with their readers and to thank the generous donors and volunteers who supported their program this year. 

For the full press release and more coverage about the event, click here.

While the Summer Reading Program has ended, there is still so much to do at your local library! Find out more about our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program, book clubs for all ages, story times, crafts, themed programs, and so much more! For more information on the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, including programs and events, please visit www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.

Stay Connected

We would love for you to follow us on social media! Stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Library by following us on Facebook and Instagram (below) and our YouTube channel (Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries). We post regularly about programs, books, resources, and more. Please also visit our website, www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org, for the latest information.

-Goleta Valley Library: Facebook: Facebook.com/GoletaValleyLibrary and Instagram: Instagram.com/goletavalleylibrary

-Solvang Library: Facebook: Facebook.com/SolvangLibrary and Instagram: Instagram.com/solvanglibrary

-Buellton Library: Facebook: Facebook.com/BuelltonLibraries and Instagram: Instagram.com/buelltonlibrary

B. Allison Gray
Library Director

P.S. If you received this e-newsletter from a friend and would like to subscribe, click here

With back to school fast approaching, these 7 Lucky Library tips are a great way to help keep students motivated and on track to find academic success in the new school year:

-Read With and to Your Child
If you want your child to set aside time dedicated to reading, then you should too. Use this as an opportunity to spend quality time with your child and pick up a book as well! Reading aloud and taking turns reading is a great way to connect and support your child’s learning process.

-Be Consistent with Reading Times
Setting aside specific times for reading will put routine into your child’s life. This will also help them stay on track with their academic reading goals and build lifelong learning habits.

-Let Your Child Control What They Read
This autonomy creates a sense of self-determination that is very beneficial, especially for reluctant readers. Whether they are interested in aliens, history, video games, or fashion remember to take the time to give your child the freedom to discover whatever books, magazines, or comics that could foster their curiosity.

-Talk About What You Read
Asking your questions about characters and storylines is a great way to keep your child engaged with their readings. Not only does this improve reading comprehension, but it also develops critical thinking and communication skills that will be important to them as they become older.

-Change Up the Reading Environment
Bring picnic blankets to well-spaced areas of a park or set up hammocks or tents in your own backyard to provide a variety in your child’s reading environment.

-Use Books as a Form of Travel
Use reading as a way to escape the world and experience adventures in new places. Whether they are reading nonfiction that highlights interesting mammals in the rainforest or a fantasy that sweeps them into made-up realities, books are a great way to continue “traveling” in a time where it’s not physically possible to.

-Make Sure Your Child Has a Library Card!
Last, but not least, make sure your child has a library card! A library card is a direct bridge to a world of endless possibilities. With hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, and electronic resources at their fingertips, the library is here to help make your return to school a success story. To register for a library card, click here.

Until further notice, the Zip Book Program is on pause. We apologize for the inconvenience. We hope to resume this program in the near future, as we have applied for this wonderful grant from the California State Library again.

In the meantime, if the Goleta, Solvang, and Buellton Libraries do not own the item you are looking for, and it was published in 2021 or 2022, please submit a Suggest a Purchase form instead. Please check back soon for updates!

August is National Breastfeeding Month — a month dedicated to advancing advocacy, protection, and promotion of breastfeeding to ensure that all families have the opportunity to breastfeed. Equity gaps in access to resources and support create troubling disparities for breastfeeding mothers and birthing people.

Found in our Goleta Valley Library Black Gold Catalog, these resources are here and available for families of all backgrounds to find the tools and resources they need to make informed decisions about breastfeeding.

Goleta Valley Library

Wiggly Storytime

Our weekly Wiggly Storytime will be on pause for the month of August.

We look forward to reading, singing, and dancing together again in September!

Tech Tutoring

Tuesdays 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tech Tutoring is back! Are you looking for more information about GVL's online resources? Do you need assistance with your electronic or mobile device? All you have to do is fill out this form and one of our friendly staff will reach out to meet your needs! You will be contacted by a staff member to schedule a 30-minute in-person appointment at the Goleta Valley Library.

Tech Tutoring is offered for all patrons of the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Library System, but in-person appointments are only held at the Goleta Valley Library.

Writer's Workshop

Saturday, August 6th, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 
This month we’ll discuss the topic “Critical Resistance (or, Conflict is a Good Thing)". For many writers, "conflict" is often confused with hostility or physical confrontation. In fact, some of the richest stories come from characters who may be at odds with each other, but aren't necessarily enemies. So this month, we'll take a deep dive into the nature of conflict in storytelling. The Writers’ Workshop is open to teens and adults, to writers of all genres and every level of experience. Participants are encouraged to share their work, exchange feedback, and discuss tools and techniques of the craft.

Back-to-School Scavenger Hunt

August 16th - 31st
Join us for a fun scavenger hunt in the children’s area at the library!

Search for back-to-school themed clues and bring your completed form to the front desk for a prize.

Mystery Book Club

Tuesday, August 23rd, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
August Pick: The Maid, by Nita Prose
Our read for the August Mystery Book club is both a #1 New York Times Bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.  Join us to share your reactions and reflections on this wildly popular title!

“Molly, a twenty-something maid working in a New York hotel, discovers notorious—and very wealthy—guest Charles Black dead in his bed. This is a problem for any number of reasons, not least of which is that it offends Molly’s sense of order, which is what leads her to clean Black’s room immediately. At sea when it comes to social cues, lonely, and reliant on her late Gran’s codes of conduct to navigate the world, Molly’s actions and curious demeanor see her propelled to the top of the suspect list. Guileless, earnest, and determined, the bulk of the suspense in this novel is watching Molly—as vulnerable as a toddler on train tracks—hunt down the real killer. Luckily, this endearing odd duck has more friends than she realizes, and that makes this mystery as charming and amusing as it is propulsively readable.” – Amazon.com review

Buellton Tech Tutoring

Every Tuesday 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Need help with your new laptop? Are you looking for more information about Goleta and Santa Ynez Libraries' online resources? Do you need assistance with your electronic or mobile device? Or various tech needs?

Stop by or call the library at 805-688-3115 to make a 20 minute appointment with a in-person tech tutor!  Tech tutoring is available every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30pm.

LIVE ONLINE -  Buellton Bookworms Bookclub

Friday, Aug 19th, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Join in the conversation with our monthly bookclub! We meet once a month via Zoom to discuss the book. This month we have chosen The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict.  New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict dives into a thrilling reconstruction of one of the most notorious events in literary history: Agatha Christie's mysterious 11-day disappearance in 1926.  Call or stop by the library to get a copy or visit the catalog at gvl.blackgold.org. We have 10 copies of the book available for in-person pick up and additional electronic copies are available through our online catalog at gvl.blackgold.org. No registration required!

Join Zoom Meeting here; Meeting ID: 846 7926 3746; Passcode: 855334

Outdoor Storytime

Every Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.
Bring a blanket and join us under the Sycamore tree for stories, songs and more! 

Space is limited, so please make a reservation online, and be prepared to safely distance. Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers all welcome.

Online Book Club for Kids

Wednesday August 17th & Wednesday Aug 31st, 4:00 pm
For readers 8-11 years old.  Join us to explore some great new books! The group meets online twice a month: Please REGISTER to receive the link for the online meetings--the first 10 readers to REGISTER  receive a free copy of the book!!

The August book is Roll With It, by Jamie Sumner:

Ellie’s a girl who tells it like it is. That surprises some people, who see a kid in a wheelchair and think she’s going to be all sunshine and cuddles. The thing is, Ellie has big dreams: She might be eating Stouffer’s for dinner, but one day she’s going to be a professional baker.  But when Ellie and her mom move so they can help take care of her ailing grandpa, Ellie has to start all over again in a new town at a new school.