Many school aged children, especially struggling readers, forget some of what they’ve learned or just don’t get to practice reading over the summer.  School libraries and public libraries can work together to help prevent the “Summer slide” by working together to promote Summer Reading Programs.
At the Summer Reading Planning Workshop, participants spent time discussing ways to communicate and reach out to school librarians, school organizations and personnel to increase participation over the summer for the benefit of the children they both serve.
Here are a few ideas generated at the workshop:
Set up a meeting (in person, phone or email to discuss the Summer Reading Program)
Send flyers, handouts, bookmarks, stickers, die-cut shapes with library hours, programs, etc… Include mailing labels
Present a program at the school (Dewey’s Amazing Race, magician, etc..)
Read a story, sing a song during library time (lead story-time)
Talk to the Parent/Teacher group
Attend school meetings
Ask to have space in the school newsletter
Make an promotional DVD and ask to show on CCTV or individually in classrooms (grades 3-5)
World food party
Library night at the school
Offer reading lists (schools give to libraries for required reading; libraries give to schools for pleasure reading)
Send reading records to teachers after the program is over
Lawn signs
E-news weekly updates sent to school librarians
What other ideas do you have to reach out to school librarians and promote summer reading?