Ringing in the New Year often means a time of personal reflection, but it can also be a perfect time to create professional goals and to strengthen our work objectives. While it may be months away, one of my library system’s 2015 goals is to review our current summer reading program and to consider some new ideas for this club. Administrative and youth services staff have collaborated on how to best see these ideas through to fruition. For us, the year 2015 is all about impact. How can we ensure our summer reading program makes the most powerful difference in our community?
Focus on the Journey, Not Only the Destination
Our traditional summer reading program has focused on specific reading milestones that children must reach to receive individual prizes. In 2015, we will consider our summer reading program to be more of a journey instead of a destination. Once children have read the number of hours they need to collect all their prizes, we will encourage them to continue reading throughout the remainder of the summer. For their additional efforts, they will receive a certificate and their name will be placed on our summer reading superhero display. What suggestions do you have to ensure your participants continue reading during the entire duration of your program?
Game Sheets Galore
During our summer reading club in 2014, we transitioned completely to an online program. While our traditional club will stay online in 2015, we have also created printed game challenge sheets. Participants will complete 24 of 25 reading or pre-reading activities to receive a prize. One of the game sheet activities encourages children to register for our online summer reading program. These game sheets will also allow children to set whatever reading goal they would like as they complete the instructions, “Read for _____ minutes,” as part of their reading challenge. In addition to our online program, these game sheets will encourage our participants to celebrate their reading success this summer.
We are encouraged that these changes to our summer reading program will strengthen its impact in our community. What changes to your summer reading program will you implement in 2015? What new services or programs are you exploring during this new year? Let’s get the ball rolling on discussing our new goals for our libraries! Please share your ideas in the comments below!
Abby Johnson
I have been trying to think of ways we can keep kids engaged all summer without giving them STUFF. I think that once kids finish our reading goal and get their prize (a free book this summer! Yay!), we’ll have a punch card and challenge them to unlock more achievements. No prize except the pride of having done it. Examples might be: read 10 more books or 5 more hours to decorate a superhero to add to hang from our ceiling, participate in the Bedtime Math program, participate in the Dollars & Sense program (a financial literacy program sponsored by a local bank), read a book set outside the US and fill out a review form to put on our bulletin board… I haven’t figured out the details yet, but I’m hoping that will be a fun way to keep kids coming back in and feeling proud of themselves as they unlock more achievements.
Meg Smith
Abby Johnson, I love the idea of your punch card! Please share the details as you move through this process. It sounds like your kids will have a blast this summer!