On Your Marks…Get Set…Summer Reading Program!

This time of year always feels like a race to get to (and perhaps also through) our Summer Reading Program (SRP). Our library is using the iRead SRP theme: “Level Up at Your Library.” Focusing on play, puzzles, and games, the theme will definitely generate excitement for our program. How else are we creating excitement? Outreach, outreach, and more outreach!

Preschool Outreach

I always match my preschool outreach storytimes in May to the Summer Reading Program theme. I’ve chosen playful books, interactive songs, and fun flannel board and other activities.

• A sample of the books I’m using this month:

• I’ll use such interactive songs as Jim Gill’s Jumping and Counting as well as Silly Dance Contest; I Am a Robot by Kymberly Stewart; Dance, Freeze, Melt by Mr. Eric & Mr. Michael; and Move It, Move It by Stephanie Leavell.
• Flannel board activities will include the perennial favorite Little Mouse! If you don’t know it, check out the versions that can be found here. I will probably tweak it to be “Little bookworm, little bookworm, playing hide and seek….are you behind the _______ (color name) book? Let’s take a peek!”
• My storytime handouts include information about our SRP, emphasizing the fact that patrons do not need to live in our village or have a library card of any kind in order to participate!

School Outreach

• Each May, I do my Great Summer Reads booktalks for every 5th grade class. This is also a great time to promote our Summer Reading Program! As rising 6th graders, these students get to participate in our Teen program. Because that program has fewer participants, I whisper to the 5th graders that they’ll have a better chance of winning one of our grand prizes! They love being in on the secret.
• The handout for my booktalks includes a shoutout to our SRP, again emphasizing that no library card is needed.
• Every year, I create a video to promote our SRP. Starring my amazing colleagues and the awesome school librarians, we show the video at each school’s end of the year assembly. Since our Summer Reading Program always begins the weekend after school gets out, the excitement is palpable! Check out last year’s video to get an idea of just how “game” our school librarians are!
• For more school outreach ideas to promote SRP, be sure to check out this ALSC post!

How are you generating excitement for your Summer Reading Program? Be sure to share your great ideas in the comments below and help us learn from each other!

This ALSC blog post addresses the following core competencies: I. Commitment to Client Group and V. Outreach and Advocacy.

The post On Your Marks…Get Set…Summer Reading Program! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

 This time of year always feels like a race to get to (and perhaps also through) our Summer Reading Program (SRP). Our library is using the iRead SRP theme: “Level Up at Your Library.” Focusing on play, puzzles, and games, the theme will definitely generate excitement for our program. How else are we creating excitement? Outreach, outreach, and more outreach! Preschool Outreach I always match my preschool outreach storytimes in May to the Summer Reading Program theme. I’ve chosen playful books, interactive songs, and fun flannel board and other activities. School Outreach How are you generating excitement for your Summer Reading Program? Be sure to share your great ideas in the comments below and help us learn from each other! This ALSC blog post addresses the following core competencies: I. Commitment to Client Group and V. Outreach and Advocacy.
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