As the school year winds down, local libraries are starting their annual push to increase summer reading.
Jeffrey Cannell, New York State Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education, believes students need to read once the school year ends.
"If they don't, there's a lot of research that shows that they could lose a lot of the reading ability that they've acquired over the school year. If you read over the summer you maintain or increase your reading level; if you don'y, you're in in danger of losing it."
Cannell says over 1.6 million students statewide took part in summer reading program last year.
o spark participation, branches of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System have established reading-based events, some in association with Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, Buffalo Museum of Science and Beaver Meadow Audubon Center.
The system also offers the "Read Down Your Fines" program for children under the age of 16 through the end of August.