Paws to Read

Paws to Read is back at the Glendale Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library on Tuesday, October 27, from 6 PM to 7 PM. It's a program for beginning or reluctant readers ages 6 to 11, and the whole thing centers on one simple idea: kids spend about fifteen minutes reading aloud to a registered therapy dog. The dog is framed as a non-judgmental listener, which takes the pressure off the child and lets them focus on the reading itself. The goal is to build reading skills and self-confidence, and the best part is that the readers can choose any book they like.

If you're not familiar with the Glendale Branch, it's the library that serves the Broad Ripple community. The neighborhood has had library service at various sites since 1930, with the first stand-alone library opening in 1949. The branch that most people remember was built in 2000 inside Glendale Mall, where it became the country's first full-service library inside a major shopping mall. In 2024, it moved into a new 24,800-square-foot space at the site of the former John Strange Elementary School, so it's now in a building that was once a school itself.

It's a low-stakes way for a kid to get comfortable with reading aloud, especially if they're a bit hesitant about it. They get to pick their own book, read it to a dog that doesn't care if they stumble over a word, and leave with a little more confidence. Paws to Read runs from 6 PM to 7 PM on Tuesday, October 27, at the Glendale Branch, 3660 East 62nd Street.