Chelsea Bossert/Daily Mining Gazette The Portage Lake District Library in Houghton is celebrating Reading Month with a salute to Dr. Suess.

HOUGHTON — In a proclamation on Monday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared March as Reading Month and the Portage Lake District Library (PLDL) in Houghton is doing its part in helping out kids’ literary abilities in the Keweenaw.

The proclamation celebrated the birthday of American children’s author and illustrator Dr. Seuss and continues Whitmer’s promise to promote childhood literacy through her Every Child Reads plan unveiled at the most recent State of the State address.

Michigan Library Association Executive Director, Dillon Geshel, was quoted in the release showing his support for the governor’s efforts. “We appreciate Governor Whitmer’s focus on literacy and strengthening early learning across Michigan, and public libraries are proud to be longstanding partners in this work,” Geshel said.

Catie Gardner Youth Services and Volunteer Coordinator of PLDL, said her position is a way to grow a community in Houghton. She explained the library’s youth program and how it’s helping children hone their reading skills. “[I’m] selecting books for the kids, doing different literacy-based initiatives, helping kids find the books they want,” Gardner said. “Really it’s about building a relationship with the kids.”

The library is hosting many programs this month to promote youth reading and literacy. Some of these events include preschool story time activities and a Pi Day (March 14) celebration with pizza. PLDL is trying not to get in the way of the school districts and their plans for Reading Month but will still put on these reading programs and challenges for the upcoming seasons.

“We just got done with our winter reading program,” Gardner said. “For March being Reading Month we usually don’t do much because the schools have so much going on and we try not to compete with the schools but kind of compliment them.

An upcoming item on Gardner’s agenda is the school districts’ spring break. During that time the library will be open during its normal hours and will host events for kids and families.

“We’re going to have a few events here for the kids,” Gardner said. “Monday and Tuesday we’re going to have items that can be decorated for our summer reading program in the library, and then Wednesday and Thursday we’re going to be seed planting for the kids and then Friday we don’t have anything planned, just because since we close a little bit early that day.”

This year’s theme for PLDL’s upcoming summer reading celebration is “Unearth a Story.”

For more information about PLDL’s events, they have a newsletter for pick up and online viewing with all of their events upcoming events for the month. For more information, visit pldl.org