The opening “Big Idea” session set the tone for my entire day. It created a framework that I brought to each of my subsequent sessions. The program featured the co-writers of the book, Creating Reading Rainbow: The Untold Story of a Beloved Children’s Series. Two of those writers, Tony Buttino Sr. and Pam Johnson, Ph.D., were a part of the team that created Reading Rainbow.
Tag: summer reading
Paper or Pixels: Methods to Track Summer Reading
Now that Summer Reading is over, we can take the time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t work, and how to improve our services for future years. Given larger-scale concerns about screen time and technology usage, it’s timely to evaluate the format of summer reading logs at the library: should we use physical logs or digital apps? There are pros and cons to both methods. This blog post will delve into each as well as discuss where this falls in the scope of current events.
Passive Dinosaur Programs for Summer Reading 2026!
We are inching closer to Summer Reading and there is so much to do to prepare for all the kids that are ready to Unearth a Story! One of the final touches that I am currently working on is our passive programs for the summer. Passive programs are a great way to engage kids any time your department is open. Here are some passive dinosaur programs that I will be implementing for this year’s summer reading program!
4 At-Home Summer Literacy Strategies
As summer approaches, families may be searching for ways to support literacy development at home. Last month, I wrote about how to speak with caregivers about literacy. In that post, I mentioned the importance of empowering families by offering a few practical suggestions that are easy to infuse into daily routines. Below are 4 simple strategies you can share that align with key literacy concepts. These strategies all follow Science of Reading principles. In addition to sharing with families, you can also use these strategies into your own programming to build literacy skills with patrons!
Stress Relief in Time for Summer Reading
Whether you’re a school media specialist steeling yourself to fulfill continuing education coursework, or a public librarian hyping up for wall-to-wall reading programs, relaxation is likely NOT the first word that comes to mind when we youth services folks think about summer. It’s easy to feel overworked, overstimulated, and under-appreciated at any time in the library, but the heat tends to turn everything up to eleven. You can’t expect to be at your best for your patrons, students, colleagues, friends, family, and, most importantly, yourself if you don’t indulge in little breaks to depressurize throughout the day. Here are five one minute(ish) stress relievers that make an immediate difference without making you look too goofy in a shared office. Even better, they work for people of pretty much every age, shape, and capability! Starfish Breathing Choose a hand to be your “starfish.” Then use the pointer finger of the other…
Follow Up to Summer Reading Burnout? Try Letting Go!
I wrote for the ALSC Blog in June about changing our Summer Reading Program to be actual programs rather than a take-home program or a score-keeping program. Here are the results! We hosted parties for the kids based on our sustainability theme of Branching Out. Each party focused on a different biome and featured five major elements that used to be included in our take-home program: We hosted 6 parties, which were themed as Readers’ Reef (Friday @ 10 AM), Planets & Pages (Thursday @ 6 PM), Jungle Journey (Friday @ 11 AM), Arctic Adventure (Tuesday @ 11 AM), Just Deserts (Thursday @ 7 PM), and Backyard Bash (Monday @ 2 PM). We registered patrons in advance for these programs but allowed walk-ins up to a certain number due to supplies. Our largest party was Planets & Pages with 76 kids in attendance and Backyard Bash coming in second with…
Summer Reading Burnout? Try Letting Go!
Have you noticed in recent years the amount of work being put into Summer Reading does not equate to the number of kids participating in it? Every year since 2019, we have seen fewer and fewer kids wanting to engage with the program at our library. We’ve changed prizes, the physical form of the program, and even tried doing our own themes. The allure of Summer Reading for kids has worn down. Every year we plan and try something new to get their attention, but it burns us out in the process. So what do we do? I have worked in many different libraries, and I have seen all different types of Summer Reading Programs (SRPs). At one, they have book buddies where kids come in and report on the book they’re reading to a teen volunteer who then gives them “the prize of the week” for coming in to…
A Summer (Camp) Adventure at Your Library!
As the sun begins to set later and later, and days slowly creep warmer and warmer, the summer mindset is beginning to set in. As a public librarian, this means the inevitable creeping ever closer…summer reading. To get the school-aged learners in my area excited about summer reading last summer, I tried a “Summer Camp” at my branch for the first time. If you are thinking about something similar for your library, check out the scope of the program and tips for hosting your own below!