County libraries celebrate young readers

From Escondido to San Ysidro, San Diego County is a land for children. Its parks, its schools, its malls, have focused in giving the youngest ones a better quality of life.
Throughout the county, community organizations and government agencies in the next days will have a variety of events to celebrate Día del Niño, Day of the Child, which is officially celebrated in Latin America, especially Mexico, on April 30.
At these events, truly, children are the center of attention.
Do you need medical coverage for your children? They can help you find it here. Is your child struggling in school? In these events you can find resources. Are you unemployed and you need a helping hand in buying food? There’s help.
These can be the perfect place for parents to get a lot of handy information while their children have fun.
The San Diego County Library system during all April has had book signings by children’s authors, Mexican fiestas, and other activities as part of its program titled El Día de los Niños, El Día de los Libros. Children’s Day, Book Day, in which the love for children and for books come together at the libraries throughout the county.
“We have 35 locations where children services are very important,” said Angelica Fortin, service programs manager for the county library system. “It is also important to celebrate reading with our children.”
Fortin said that each child attending any of the events at the libraries during Children’s Day, will take home a free book.
The program started in 1996, and since then each year it has grown more and more. At the end of March, for example, celebrations kicked off at the El Cajon library, with a Mexican fiesta attended by more than 4,000 people.
Fortin added that they’re not only celebrating Latino children, but children of all cultures living in San Diego County.
“They are very inclusive events, which are open to our very diverse community,” she said. “We also take advantage of the events to emphasize the importance of multicultural and multilingual literature.”
In North County, in Oceanside, the city and different organizations will also have a similar event on Children’s Day, Wednesday April 30.
“This is a day to celebrate children,” organizers said about the event at the Crown Heights Resource Center.
Also in North County, the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, in Escondido, will have a free day of fun for children on Saturday, April 26. It features different activities along with a social service and resource fair.
In southern San Diego County, the City of Chula Vista will host its 14th Annual Day of the Child Fair, an event where children will be the center of attention on Saturday, April 19th, at Memorial Park, in Downtown Chula Vista.
For a complete program of events throughout the county sponsored by the San Diego County Library, please visit <a href="http://www.sdcl.org/dia-2014.html" target="_blank">www.sdcl.org/dia-2014.html</a>.