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.

It's fun to hear the little kids laugh

     Our library is in the middle of its Summer Reading Programs.  For the last three weeks, programs for the kids have been held on Tuesdays and Thursdays here in the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library.  The programs are being held on Wednesdays at the Doerun Municipal Library.
     But this past Tuesday night must have been an exception to a good time for all the kids who attended the Ron Anglin entertainment in the adult reading area of the library.  Our adult book club, "Novel Destinations," was meeting in the classroom adjacent to the Children's Library and we could hear the laughter through our closed door.  It made us want to go out there and see what all the laughter was about.
     So, out of curosity, I talked to Miss Norman, our Children's Librarian, this morning about all that fun and she gave me the low-down.
     There were about 50 attendees to see Ron Anglin, a magician, juggler and clown, known in the Atlanta area as "Dr. Tiny."  He is a bonafide member of Cirque du Soleil and often takes his act to the Atlanta hospitals to jolly-up the patients.
     Miss Norma said he is a true professional, performing silly slapstick stuff with an elegant pause that just cracks people up, even the little kids.
     Tuesday night he played around with magic tricks that he pulled from a diaper bag, a long piece of plastic that he used as a tourniquet, and "boomwackers," plastic tubes of different lengths that made different notes when they hit something.  On this particular night he played "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" on a little boy's head and the kids just ate it up.  They couldn't get enough of his entertainment.
     Miss Norma said that Ron was a helicopter pilot in the war and then became a high school teacher.  He was very proud to say that one of his students has also become a professional clown, and together they are planning on doing a two-man show.  How great that we can provide such professional entertainment to the patrons of our library.
     Of course, there are still more programs coming to the library for kids and their parents to enjoy.  But the group Tuesday night took a vote and decided that this Thursday morning at 10 a.m. they want "Movies on the Wall," and everyone will be entertained by Miss Norma's old movies.
     Why not bring the kids to the library auditorium tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. and watch the fun and hear the kids laugh.  It will just make your day.  That's a promise.

There's just not enough time...

     As I walked through the library this morning, I noticed we have a lot more people here today than last Thursday (my last day to work last week). Boy!  They are checking out books like crazy!  And that's a good thing.
     I also noticed lots of mothers with their children walking down to the Children's Library.  That means they are signing up for the Summer Reading Program.  It seems I remember Miss Norma, our Children's Librarian, telling me that in the past she has had as many as 800 children signed up for a Summer Reading Program.  And today, when I talked to her, she said there are already about 20 children signed up...and it's one day before the official sign-up time! 
     We not only have programs for the little people, but for the pre-teens and teenagers.  But the one I'm the most excited about, of course, is the one for the adults.
     Called "Novel Destinations," the program will encourage adults to read books that take place in other countries.  For instance, a book I just started reading takes place in Asia.  It's about a man whose wife's final wish is that he take their ten-year-old daughter on a trip across Asia, through all the countries they had planned to visit to celebrate their 15th anniversary.  The trip goes through Japan, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Egypt...an amazing trip that provides lessons for both the father and daughter as they celebrate what the wife and mother had meant to them.  Great read!
     Can you imagine all the books out there about other parts of the world?  You can learn not only about a specific country's landscape, but it's people and customs, their food and dress, their mode of transportation and their feelings about people of other countries.
     The Summer Reading Program opens doors for all of us to learn about the world around us.  It's time we all realized how much alike we are, whether we live in Australia or China or Iran or here in the United States of America.
     Bring your little ones to "One World, Many Stories."  Encourage your pre-teens and teens to check out "You Are Here."  And join us adults as we read our way through "Novel Destinations."
     For more information about the times and dates, call the library at 985-6540.  We're anxious to share our summer reading with you.  And believe me...there's just not enough time to read all the books I want to read!!  But I'm going to make a big start right now!

Our Summer Reading Programs are just around the corner

     We are soooo busy getting ready for all the summer reading programs.  With school out now, there will be a large group of children visiting the library on a continuing basis, probably more than during the school year.  And I just can't blame them for visiting more.  We have some great things planned!
     All during June there will be something special going on, not only at the Moultrie Library but also at the Doerun Library.  Even the Bookmobile will begin signing up readers on May 25.
     Miss Norma, the Children's Librarian, has a great line-up of programs for children ages 9 and under at the Moultrie Library.  Artist Miss Sally will have "Make and Take" items; Tommy Johns, the magician from Atlanta, will have unbelievable tricks; Windell Campbell will have "Story Travels"; and Andy Offutt Irwin will have stories to tell, also. There will even be "Didgeridoo Down Under" entertainment, a juggler, and musicians.  All these programs will be on Tuesdays, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and on Thursdays, 10 to 11 a.m.
     The pre-teens and teens will have a summer program called "Just4Teens."  On Thursdays in June, 6 to 7 p.m. at the Moultrie Library, they will have programs on geocaching and games; one called "You be the Judge" and one called "The Wayward Peach from Okinawa"; and one of the best, "Members' Choice."
    And not to forget the Doerun Library, their programs will be on Wednesdays from 3 to 4 p.m.  Again, you'll find Miss Sally there, as well as juggler Ron Anglin, and pint-size polka music, just to name a few.
     A special to this year's reading clubs will be the new adult program, "Novel Destinations."  Why should kids have all the fun?  Pack your bags and get ready to go!  On June 7, The Adventure Begins will  register adults joining the fun and provide the first sign-ups with gifts.  On June 14, Thomasville author Janet Litherland will visit and talk about her trips to Ireland to gather inspiration for her books.  The other three Tuesdays in June will show case Cruisin' and The Virtual Tourist.  And on July 12, we'll have a program about Italy, Romanzo Destinazioni.  Times for these programs will be 6:35 to 7:25 p.m. (to accommodate parents who bring their children to the evening programs).
     I'm looking forward to these good times.  I love to watch the children bounce with excitement as they head toward their special event.  And for the first time, I'll get to join in as a member of the adult reading group.
     Don't forget the library now that school's out!  This is when the biggest show begins...Summer Reading Programs.  And for the WHOLE family this summer. 
     See you there!