At three different branch locations, Pasadena Public Library hosts Barks & Books — a program designed for children to build confidence in reading aloud! With the cutest dogs as judgement-free audience members, children who struggle with reading aloud can practice their skills at Jefferson Branch Library, Santa Catalina Branch Library, and San Rafael Branch Library. Reading to dogs instead of adults or peers is meant to encourage confidence, as children can take their time to sound out words to build reading skills — and an added perk is getting to bond with a furry friend each week! Reading out loud can be intimidating, and Barks & Books is here to help.
Barks & Books is presented by Love on a Leash and Pet Partners, which are two organizations where dogs and their handlers can become a certified therapy team! Love on a Leash is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing comfort using therapy pets, and their volunteers visit hospitals, schools, and workplaces to help brighten stressful days. Pet Partners also serves people in need by training animal therapy teams and provides support by promoting the human-animal bond that we all love!
Pictured above from left to right are Jackson, Nola, and Maisie, therapy dogs who join us on the second Tuesday of each month at Jefferson Branch Library, with Nola joining us for an extra session on the first Saturday of each month at Santa Catalina Branch Library. Cody, the golden retriever on the bottom, joins us a few days a month at San Rafael Branch Library. The dogs are well-trained to be gentle with the children and provide a quiet audience for them to read to. The therapy dogs that visit the library are well-tempered, calm, and love all people!
No sign-ups are required for Barks & Books, but sessions will be first-come, first-served. Whether your child is a reluctant reader or simply loves spending time with a four-legged companion, we hope to see you stop by!