See to Reader Now Available to Nebraska Public Libraries

Nebraska libraries offer summer programs for children of all ages to encourage their continued exposure to books and reading. The goal of See to Read is to highlight the resources offered to Nebraska’s young people through their local libraries, with the understanding of how healthy eyes are vital to the ultimate benefits of reading. Complimentary copies of the See to Reader are available at Nebraska public libraries. Included in the Reader are: • warning signs of vision problems, • booklist for children relating to vision, • first aid for eye emergencies, • puzzles, • ideas for developing a child into a strong reader, • information for receiving a FREE professional vision assessment for any three-year old in the state, and • reminders for parents with children entering kindergarten regarding vision evaluations now required by Nebraska law. This information can also be found by visiting www.NEchildrenvision.org, under See to Read. One out of five children entering kindergarten in Nebraska has an undetected vision problem. This “unseen” health issue may greatly influence the outcome of a child’s academic and social behavior as they struggle to keep pace with other students. Parents and educators need to be aware of this potential link to poor reading performance and other developmental skill lags in children. Is raising this awareness a good role for public libraries? Have you heard the radio PSA about this partnership in your area? For more information contact: Sally Snyder, 402-471-4003, 800-307-2665.