Area I libraries offer trove of plenty

By Franklin FisherAugust 25, 2014

Area I libraries offer trove of plenty
At the Gateway Club on Camp Casey Aug. 7, the Area I Summer Reading Program wraps up this year's eight-week run with a final reading for kids and a close-out party. Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick M. Quirk, senior enlisted adviser with U.S. Army Garrison R... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CAMP CASEY -- Although the Area I Summer Reading Program has wrapped up for the season, there's always plenty of good reading and learning to be had year round at on-post libraries, Warrior Country librarians said.

Area I has a library at each of four posts: Camp Casey and Camp Hovey in Dongducheon; Camp Red Cloud and Camp Stanley in Uijeongbu.

Each offers books -- fiction and non-fiction; a video library including a section for kids; study materials for college; Wi-Fi, free computers, and use of online data bases. There are also programs to foster an interest in reading, one of them for preschoolers.

The computers are CAC-card enabled.

"People can use them for either educational purposes or just to check their e-mail, whatever they want," said Tracy Klippert, supervisor librarian for the Casey and Hovey libraries.

The data bases include the Army Digital Media Library, which allows downloading of e-books and audio books, as well as other data bases that "people might use for their education," she said.

The libraries, said Klippert, benefit all members of the community, Soldiers, civilians, adults and youngsters.

'For the Soldiers, I think reading gives them a kind of release from the stresses they have to go through," she said. "Also, it's just plain fun."

The libraries also benefit Soldiers and others moving forward with college or other studies, said Gordon Imrie, librarian managing the Stanley and Red Cloud libraries.

Besides the books, data bases and computers, each library has testing and study materials. These include CLEP, DANTES, GED, SAT, LSAT, among others, Imrie said.

That gives Soldiers quick access to certain needed study materials, and in some cases can save them money on study items they might otherwise have to buy, he said.

In addition, reading can help Soldiers and other working adults in sharpening their communication skills, Klippert said.

"In almost any job you're gonna have to communicate with people through e-mails or in person," she said. "And I think reading can help you develop the ability to do that."

Encouraging children to read is "especially important," said Klippert.

"Basically they say that children who don't read over the summer lose about two-and-a-half months of their reading ability per year," she said. "So that means by the time they reach the sixth grade, they could be like, two years behind in their reading level than the children who did read during the summer."

To help children develop an enjoyment of reading, the Casey library holds a weekly "Story Time," geared mainly to preschoolers aged 2 to 5. But they welcome attendance of those of any age, including adults, Klippert said.

Story Time meets Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

An adult will read the children a story, after which the kids take part in a craft or other activity.

"Usually it's just a simple thing like, they'll color something, and cut it out, and paste it together to make a dog or a cat or a cow," said Klippert.

For readers of any age, the Area I libraries hold an annual Summer Reading Program, which they run for eight weeks. This year's went from June 19 to Aug. 7.

Community members of any age first register online to participate. They then keep an online log of the number of minutes they spend reading. Record-keeping is on the honor system, and prizes go to those who reach the stated goal, which this year was 800 minutes of reading, Klippert said.

Ninety-two registered for last year's program and read a total of 19,061 minutes, she said. This year, 131 registered and read a total of 44,064 minutes.

Following are the locations, phone numbers and hours of Area I libraries.

• Camp Casey, building 2403, DSN 730-4563: open seven days, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

• Camp Hovey, building 3754, DSN 730-5172: open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.

• Camp Stanley, building 2202, DSN 732-5597: open Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sunday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

• Camp Red Cloud, building 58, DSN 732-6723: open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. -- 7 p.m.; Saturdays, U.S. and Korean holidays, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday.

Related Links:

Area I Homepage

Area I Flickr

Area I YouTube

Area I Twitter

Area I Facebook