IN THE CLASSROOM:

Tracy Wineke and her three kids love using the Newport Beach library — it’s an extension of when she read to them as tykes.

“They love to read,” Wineke said. “I started out reading to them when they were young, and now we go to the library every two weeks or so. I think reading exercises the mind and the imagination and brings personal growth.”

Mayor Ed Selich agrees on the importance of feeding the reading habit young — and how. When he picks up a book to read to the kids this week at the library, his 11-week-old granddaughter will be in the audience.

“I think it is extremely important to participate in reading programs,” Selich said.

“It is important to teach kids reading skills in this age of television and multimedia. It is the key to an educated society; it is what you need no matter how much digital stuff there is. Kids need to be able to enjoy reading.”

The mayor will read to the young ones at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Central Library. Selich will sing and act out the story of “Little Bunny Susu” for pre-schoolers.

Selich has plenty of company, as several council members plan to read to the young ones this week as part of National Library Week activities.

The fun started Monday night with a pajama story-time for children with City Manager Homer Bludau, who read bedtime stories to the kids in his jammies.

Today, Councilman Don Webb will read to preschoolers at the Mariners branch library.

“I have lived very close to Mariners library for many years, and my kids grew up using its support and its youth programs,” Webb said. “It has been a part of the family for all these years.”

Webb has participated in reading programs for kids at the library for almost five years.

“It’s great to see the young children and the looks on their faces and the expressions they have,” he said. “I like participating because it’s about getting them interested in reading. This is our future, our youth. We can either get them stuck in front of the television screen, or give them the opportunity to use our wonderful libraries.”

Webb brought out his hat collection to help him act out the story of Georgio, an Italian small-town man who takes up different jobs and wears a different hat to each of them.

“National Library Week has been, for a long time, a celebration of the nation’s libraries,” said Newport Beach Public Library Services Director Cynthia Pirtle.

“Here in Newport Beach we know our community loves the library because it is so heavily used. We are thankful for the relationship the community has with us, and for the fact that the City Council is always ready to fund the library. And we are absolutely thrilled that most of the council will be participating this week.”

John Boyle and his two children are among those who are fans of the library. His daughter Molly likes to read mysteries.

“It’s fun to see the way they end. I like to read because you get to learn new things,” Molly said.

“Reading is a gateway into life and knowledge for the kids,” Boyle said.

This week is an occasion to look forward to for both the staff and kids.

“Last year, kids enjoyed Councilman Steve Rosansky’s story-reading tremendously. He was accompanied by Hagrid, a huge Bernese mountain dog,” said Katherine Mielke of the Newport Beach Public Library.

“This year, we also have a balloon art show with Annia Banannie, which will be full of fun and vibrant colors,” Pirtle said.

Other events include Preschool Story time with Councilwoman Nancy Gardner at the Corona del Mar Branch Library at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Toddler Story time with Rosansky at the Central Library at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, and Toddler Storytime with Councilwoman Leslie Daigle at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Mariners branch, computer training for adults at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Central Library, Banannie’s Balloon Reading Adventure at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Central Library Friends Room, and physicist Brian Greene, author of “The Elegant Universe” will lecture at 7 p.m. Friday at the Central Library Friends Room followed by a free question-and-answer session for high school students at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Central Library Friends Room. Except for the distinguished lecture series, all the other events will be free. For more information, call (949) 548-2411 or visit www.nbplfoundation.org.