'Play' is the theme for the Jake Epp Library's Summer Reading Program.

Assistant Program Coordinator Loralie Friesen says there are about 620 early and middle years students enrolled this year which is up from 600 last year. Friesen notes continuing to read through the summer will help kids as they go back to school in the fall.

"There's a thing called the summer slide which is kind of a phenomenon in school age children," explains Friesen. "It has been proven that if they don't continue their reading during the summer not only does their reading fall back and they drop levels in reading and literacy, but it's also proven that it affects their other school subjects as well. So if we can get them to continue to read throughout the summer not only will they maintain their current status that they had at the end of the last school year but often times they're more improved and their reading levels are higher and all their subjects are improved."

Friesen adds during the first three weeks of summer they also had 1600 more books checked out of the general library than last year.