Summer reading program

Summer Reading' can be assigned to students in the United States during their summer vacation. This can range from the simple book reports to in depth projects that support the curriculum including Science, Language Arts, Social Sciences, and Math. Occasionally there is a controversy - see UNC-Qur'an Controversy.

Many libraries offer summer reading programs for teens and children in coordination with school districts. These reading programs can contain events such as movie nights, raffles or specialty workshops. According to Bertin 2004 a study by the U. S. Department of Education found that 95% of all public libraries offered a summer reading program. These programs are used to prevent summer learning loss. Children's programs in libraries began around the turn of the century beginning with the Cleveland Library League in 1895. For more information about the early development of children’s librarianship see McDowell 1995. Early reading programs focused on the quality of the books and contained required reading, but newer education trends focus on breadth of reading to create an “avid reader,” as is discussed in The Enduring Effects of Education by Herbert H. Hyman, Charles R. Wright and John Shelton Reed.

The Summer Reading Program website Collaborative Summer Library Program states that this nationally ranked program started in 1987 in ten different Minnesota libraries. They, then selected a theme, created artwork and incentives, and other public libraries could purchase and use for their program. More public libraries joined, but the main focus stayed the same “librarians sharing ideas, expertise, and costs to produce a high-quality summer reading program for children, teens, and adults.” [1]. This lost cost program is now something that the majority of public libraries offer as well as they often work with local school districts to increase student participation. This program encourages children to continue learning while not in school; it is free, easy, and fun for all involved. The American Library Association website states that they provide a grant for public libraries in order for them to afford this program and offer it to all their patrons for free. The Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Program Grant offers up to three thousand dollars to assist libraries in purchasing this program as well as recognizing ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) libraries and their employees for the outstanding development of this program [2]. It seems that if the librarians apply they will receive help through this grant and support from the country wide association that is the American Library Association, to encourage the libraries and their workers to offer as well as make this program as beneficial as possible to their young patrons. The country is clearly backing these programs in as many libraries that can possibly run them, and hopefully to further the success of students in school.

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