Read to Bruno at Malvern Library

Bruno has an affinity for blondes, but he's friendly and gentle with everyone.

The 8-year-old, 175-pound Great Dane's first owner had blonde hair, but was forced to give him up due to an allergy.

Starting on Tuesdays in January, children will be able to read to Bruno, a certified therapy dog, at the Malvern Library.

"He's the library's pet horse," owner Sam Schleiman said to a library patron as she patted Bruno's head on a recent library visit. "He's an affection junky. He's thinking, 'Another couple hours of this would be OK.'"

Lauren Longenecker, a member of the Malvern Library Board, provided the details of the program in an email:

Registration for sessions with Bruno will begin on Tues., Dec. 27th.  Sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings (6:30 to 7:30 pm) and Saturdays (probably 12:30 to 2:00). We are waiting to see what the demand will be. 

We may only have sessions once or twice a month on those days.  Children who are learning to read or are having difficulty with reading will sign up for a 15 minute session with Bruno. They can pick a book or we will have some selections available and then they’ll go in the program room, settle in on some pillows and read to Bruno.

Bruno’s owner, Sam Schleiman, stays with the dog and helps the child with reading if they request it. The non-threatening, non-judgmental environment has proven to encourage struggling readers and those just beginning to read.

For more information on the program, call the Malvern Library at 610-644-7259.