Library Tales for Tails

Sit, stay, read
Because dogs are the best listeners…

Library Tales for Tails

Dogs can be some of your best friends, as well as some of the best listeners! The Library Tales for Tails program encourages children to read by providing a non-judgmental listener and furry friend to read to that won’t laugh at them if they make a mistake or stumble over a word, but rather lie next to them and enjoy the story being read to them.

By reading to the dogs, children begin to view reading in a positive way, which then increases their confidence in their reading capabilities, and causes them to enjoy reading even more.

Reading to the Therapy Dogs of York County Libraries

Sit, stay, readStarted initially as a Summer Reading program, this therapeutic reading activity quickly became a crowd favorite, and now remains as a year-round offering! While this program was initially developed for struggling readers, fluent readers did not want to miss out on the opportunity to read to a Therapy Dog.

In a library, the reading sessions usually take place in a quiet, comfortable area. The child picks out a book that he or she would like to read, and sits down next to the dog and handler and starts reading.  Often the book chosen is one the child thinks the dog would enjoy! The visits are often short, but the impact lasts longer than just the session, as the child may be more likely to read on his or her own.

Benefits of Library Tales for Tails

  • Gained positive outlook of reading
  • Increased confidence and fluency while reading
  • Increased involvement in the library community
  • Gained a better understanding of dogs (for those that may be fearful of animals)
  • Added motivation to continue reading

Reading is a wonderful opportunity for a child to build his or her imagination and begin to build skills for his or her future. Libraries are a wonderful resource, and Tales for Tails can be a great way to help children discover how much fun their local library can be!