Reading at the Barbershop
Solano County Library is bringing books to barbershops!
Reading at the Barbershop helps boys learn to enjoy reading so that they can read to learn. Every participating barbershop has age-appropriate reading material to help young boys identify as readers by helping to increase their vocabulary, boosting their confidence, getting them comfortable with public speaking, and building relationship and networking skills by talking to the grown-ups around them.
Why is this important?
In California, boys are failing to meet the minimum reading and writing standards. Several studies have shown that boys tend to view school as a female pursuit and depict reading and writing as not being masculine. The program helps eliminate this by having more supportive males to connect with, right in their communities. Reading at the Barbershop is intended to build a sense of community that minority boys will need in order to “want” to read. We want to encourage you to be reading role models – family members and other trusted men who read the books will inspire and set the tone for the younger males reading experience.
Students who read just once or twice a month score higher reading levels than students who never read for fun. Boys that make one or two trips to the barbershop per month can significantly improve their reading scores.
Funding for this program comes from California Library Services Act, California State Library Families for Literacy, and First 5 Solano.
Vacaville Locations
Infinite Cuts: 801 Davis St. Ste E (707) 685-9567
Rumourz: 1110 Marshall Rd, STE D (707) 449-0303
Vallejo Locations
Edge of Colors: 1729 Springs Rd. (707) 410-9245
Fairfield Locations
Cut Creators: 1690 W. Texas St. (707) 628 -1284
Crowns: 1359 Oliver Rd. (707) 344-4317
Uptown: 1123 N. Texas St. (707) 425-6700
Wonder World: 3099 Travis Blvd. (707) 816-9754, (707) 425-6014
Suisun Locations
Key Cuts: 274 Sunset Ave. Ste. D.
For the Beanstack Website:
- Go to solanolibrary.beanstack.org
- Select “register an individual or family” (readers 13 and older can self-register with their own user name)
- If registering as a family, begin by selecting “I am registering myself”
- Fill in the required information for an adult account and create a password for the account, then select “continue”. Follow the prompts to add another reader.
- Enroll in the reading program.
- Select your name or “switch readers” in the upper right hand corner. Select “return to this program” under the reading program.
- Select “Log Reading and Activities” in the upper left hand corner.
- To record activities, select “Complete an Activity”, select the reading prompt and record the title of the book you finished. Click save.
For the Beanstack App:
- Download and launch the Beanstack tracker app from the Apple App Store or Anroid Play Store.
- Select Solano County Library
- If Registering as a family, start with an adult account, and follow prompts to add other readers
- Fill in the required information and create a password for the account, then select “Continue”. Follow the prompts to add another reader.
- Enroll in the reading program.
- Tap on the + icon at the bottom of the screen and select “Log Reading and Activities”.
- To record activities, select “Complete an Activity”, select the reading prompt and record the title of the book you finished. Click save.