The Demopolis Public Library is partnering with the Reading Club for Read, Think, Share — a program designed to help students entering first or second grade improve their reading skills.

The program is free and open to any student entering first or second grade and will be held each Tuesday and Thursday in June. Reading mentors will be available to meet with children for 30-minute sessions at 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The sessions will be set on a first come, first served basis.

“The program is helping struggling readers or any readers that are going into first or second grade and trying to give them one-on-one [guidance] so they’ll improve their reading skills, reading comprehension and reading fluency before they start school next year,” said library director Morgan Allen.

She said that reading books during the summer helps children retain information they learned in school.

“Studies have shown that just reading five books over the summer can help improve reading scores and it prevents summer learning loss,” Allen said.

“If your child doesn’t do any reading over the summer you tend to lose information you learned during the school year. We want to try to help kids improve their reading skills but also retain what they learned during the year so when they start school next year they won’t be behind.”

For more information on the program or to schedule a session, call the library at 289-1595.