The Girard Free Library has joined the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program. Read a book (any book) to your newborn, infant, and/or toddler. The goal is to read 1000 books (yes, you can repeat books) before he or she starts kindergarten. Why before kindergarten? A toddler’s brain creates up to two million new connections every second, and numerous studies have established that by age three, a child’s brain has reached 80 percent of its adult volume. Sign up in the Children's Department. We have stickers and reading logs to make it more fun for your child. (There's also a 1000 Books Before Kindergarten app to make it more convenient for adults.) In addition, we can commemorate your child’s journey by sharing photos on social media of important landmarks reached along the way. Call our Children's Department at 330-545-2508 ext. 107 for more information.