BY MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph Public Libraries is continuing to emphasize the importance of youth reading with a new online program.
Outreach Librarian Crystal Stuck of the St. Joseph Public Libraries says that the COVID pandemic has forced libraries to go virtual with many programs, and that pushed the library to purchase Checkers TV, a television program provided online every week.
"Every week a new episode will be available on our library website, and the videos have different themes." Stuck tells St. Joseph Post.
Stuck adds there are many fun themes ahead.
"They're going to talk about fire safety, outer space, they're going to have a Halloween week, superheroes, Thanksgiving, so every week just has a different theme," says Stuck.
Stuck says every Sunday a new episode of Checkers TV will go up on the libraries website, and along with the episode will come a handy dandy reading list.
"Accompanying every weeks themed video, we are also providing a book list, so the first week is dinosaurs, so we have a book list of dinosaur books," Stuck explains. "And then you just contact the library, we can pull those, put them on hold for you, and then you come by and pick them up."
The St. Joseph Libraries are currently all curbside pickup, but Stuck says with the COVID numbers in our area beginning to go down it might soon open its doors back up.
The first week of Checkers TV went up on the libraries website on Sunday, a dinosaur themed episode, Stuck tells St. Joseph Post, but she adds no matter when you start watching, the episodes will always be there.
"It's important to note that if you miss a week, they're all going to still be listed, we'll just build on that webpage and add each episode as they become available," Stuck says. "So if you discover Checkers TV through our website on week 10, you can still go back and catch it all the way back to episode one, so they'll all be there."
Each episode of Checkers TV comes with fun activities as well as the accompanying reading list from the St. Joseph Library. You can find a link to Checkers TV HERE.