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MIKE SPRINGER/Staff photo
Ruby, a therapy dog, and her owner Dorothy Geiser look on as eight-year-old Jackson Altieri reads "Babymouse: Queen of the World" during a "Reading to Ruby" session Tuesday morning at the Rockport Public Library. Geiser, an employee of the library, has made her 11-month-old golden retriever, a registered therapy dog, available this summer in a pilot program designed to give children 6 to 11 a little extra confidence when they read. "Ruby relaxes the kids," Geiser says. "Just the fact that there is a non-judgemental creature there helps." The one-to-one sessions have been held by appointment every Tuesday morning since early July, and will wrap up next week.

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