By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

WILSONVILLE – Librarian Joyce Saxon is finding new ways to encourage reading for Wilsonville residents of all ages.

Saxon offers a bag of prizes for young children who read at least five books and older children who read 10 books or more.

“Most of the schools require children to read during the summer,” Saxon said.

The library has also had a soldier from the American Village arrive in full uniform to read to children, as well as a first-grade teacher teach the children how to pick books on their reading level.

“It’s hard to get little boys interested in books,” Saxon said, noting the library recently acquired pictures books specifically for young boys.

“You have to find out what they’re interested in, and soon you find them reading things more than what they’re interested in,” she said.

Saxon said several parents in Wilsonville homeschool their children, and the children arrive at the library with a list of books they need to read.

“For our little readers, it’s the pictures that get them inspired,” Saxon said.

Additionally, college students can visit the library to print research material, and Saxon can order books for them from any library in Shelby County.

“I can find just about anything anyone wants, even if it isn’t in Shelby County,” Saxon said. “It doesn’t cost the patron anything.”

The library offers a section of large-print books for older community members.

The library is a part of the Geek the Library program, a statewide program that encourages residents to find his or her interests.

“When you read, it opens a whole world to you,” Saxon said.

Saxon recently extended the library’s hours. The library’s new hours include Monday and Friday from 2:30-4:30 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.