What about those Summer Reading Programs?

     Recently, one of our staff members handed me an article from the Winter 2010 edition of "Children and Libraries."  Titled "Do Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Achievement Gap?," the article told about a study by the Dominican University in River Forest, IL, the Colorado State Library Agency, and the Texas Library and Archives Commission.  Funding was received over a three-year period to revisit that particular question.  I want to tell you more about that study.
     During 2006 to 2009, 11 sites were selected on the basis of objective criteria.  The El Paso (TX) Public Library and the Pueblo City County (CO) Public Library served as pilot sites over the summer of 2007. West Palm Beach County (FL) Public Library tested the survey instruments that same summer.
     The study involved the collection of data through tests, interviews, and surveys.  The student participants studied were completing 3rd grade in spring 2008 and entering 4th grade the following fall.  Other participants included the librarians delivering the summer reading programs in public libraries.  Parents and teachers were participants through surveys.
     Here are the selected conclusions:
     * 3rd grade students participating in the reading program scored higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of 4th grade and didn't experience summer loss in reading;
     * more girls participated;
     * fewer students on free and reduced meals participated;
     * more participants were Caucasian;
     * more students in the reading program had higher spring 2008 reading scores;
     * students in the summer reading program scored higher on the post-test;
     * those who participated used libraries;
     * their parents also had a higher level of library use;
     * there were more books in their homes;
     * there were more home literacy activities; and
     * parents of children who participated indicated they thought their children were better prepared to begin school at the end of the summer.
     Among the responses by teachers of the 4th graders who had participated in the summer reading program, the teachers found that the students
     * started the school year ready to learn;
     * had improved reading achievement;
     * appeared to have increased reading enjoyment;
     * were more motivated to read;
     * were more confident in the classroom;
     * read beyond what was required; and
     * perceived reading as important.
     While the study began with 11 sites and an anticipated 500 student participants, only 367 signed parental consent forms were returned.  The number was, however, sufficient to draw inferences to use descriptive statistics in the study.
     The study also had a number of recommendations, including [which I found more relevant to our particular library]
     * that librarians in public libraries needed to work with teachers and school librarians to identify nonreaders and underperforming students and reach out to those students to engage them in library activities;
     * that more marketing should be done directly to parents to let them know the value of their children participating in summer reading programs and other out-of-school library activities;
     * that public librarians need to work with other non-profit organizations, such as First Book and Reading Is Fundamental, so disadvantaged children can have their own books; and
     * that grandparents and other caring adults in a child's life must be reached out to, because they may have the most influence over what a child does outside of school.
     WELL, having read this article by Susan Roman, dean and professor of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University in River Forest, IL, and Carole D. Flore, library consultant from Florida and author of "Flore's Summer Library Reading Program Handbook," I would ask that if you are reading this that you find all the children you can and bring them to the library...BUT not just for the summer reading programs! 
     Be one of those caring adults outside of school!  Gather up an armful of kids in your spare time, maybe Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon, and take them to the library.  Help them get their own library cards, help them select books suitable to their reading level, spend time helping them read or discussing what they read. 
     Those little children are our future.  And goodness knows, if they can't read, THEY don't have much of a future. 
     Join with your local public library in supporting Summer Reading Programs.  Help close the achievement gap.
     And thanks for reading this long, long, but important, blog about the Summer Reading Programs.