New Jersey Public Libraries 2010 Statewide Summer Reading Program
Children Urged to "Makes a Splash - READ!" and Teens to "Make Waves at Your Library" and Adults Can "Water Your Mind – READ" at their local public library
Children and adults of all ages from 454 public libraries throughout New Jersey have the opportunity to participate in their public library’s summer reading program, which is administered by the New Jersey Library Association, supported by a grant from the New Jersey State Library.
The 2010 summer reading theme is water, and kids will "Make a Splash - READ!" with artwork by children’s book illustrator Henry Cole. The teen theme is "Make Waves at Your Library" with artwork by illustrator Ursula Vernon. This year, for the first time, adults have their own summer reading program with the theme "Water Your Mind – READ!"
"Economic considerations are forcing many New Jersey families to cancel vacations and cut back on other activities this summer," said Norma Blake, NJ State Librarian. "The Summer Reading Program at their local library is the creative solution to what those budget-wary parents and their energetic children and teens need."
Research shows that children who read during the summer perform better when school resumes in the fall. Kids and teens are participating in summer reading fun at their local libraries in growing numbers.
Last year over 145,000 children and teens participated and read over 2 million books, an increase of 86 percent from the year previous year. There were over 34,000 summer programs offered, with over 496,000 children and teens attending these programs, a 75 percent increase in participants from the year before.
“Public libraries offer great resources for kids throughout the summer, and the New Jersey Statewide Summer Reading Program offers ways for kids of all ages to be creative at their local libraries,” said Sharon Rawlins, Youth Services Consultant at the New Jersey State Library and project manager of the Statewide Summer Reading Program.
Community libraries continue to play a major role in fostering literacy, especially for those most in need of assistance in developing literacy skills, according to a 2001 study by the Pennsylvania Library Association. The study also concluded that public library reading programs play an important role in the overall reading achievement of children who otherwise lack access to books and other reading materials in their daily lives.
A recent study by children’s publisher Scholastic found that 22 percent of children rarely or never read for fun, and that percentage increases as the child ages. In addition, approximately 25 percent of children polled indicate that they have trouble finding books that they would actually want to read. Public library summer reading programs combat this trend. There are many resources available for librarians, parents, educators, children and teens at the NJ Summer Reading Program’s web site, http://www.njsummerreading.org. Visitors can access book lists, web resources, craft instructions and other activities. The statewide program is also on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/2f2a9qc and Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/njsummerreading/.
The Statewide Summer Reading Program is implemented in public libraries across New Jersey, and results are often measured in number of books read or time spent reading. In addition, individual libraries offer their own programs and prizes to add to the fun of summer reading and encourage visits to the public library. Many public libraries partner with local businesses and other organizations that contribute prizes towards the program.
The New Jersey State Library and the Meadowlands Sports Complex have partnered to promote the valuable role reading plays in helping everyone succeed in life. To participate in our “Read – Like a Library Champion!” program, kids can go to http://njlibrarychampion.org and enter the name of a book read during the summer to be eligible to enter into a drawing to receive tickets to select upcoming family shows at the IZOD Center.
New Jersey partners with 49 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and the Mariana Islands as part of the national Collaborative Summer Library Program to share best practices and ideas for program goals, activities and themes. Go to www.cslpreads.org for more information.
The American Red Cross and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers have partnered with the national Collaborative Summer Library Program to help support the library programs in local communities. Both organizations have a strong "water" emphasis and conduct free programs at local libraries.
The New Jersey Statewide Summer Reading Program is funded by the New Jersey State Library, which is responsible for the coordination, promotion, and funding of the New Jersey Library Network.
For additional information about 2010 Statewide Summer Reading Program please contact:
Sharon Rawlins
Project Manager, Statewide Summer Reading Program
Youth Services Consultant
NJ State Library
srawlins@njstatelib.org
609-278-2640 ext. 116 - phone
