Summer reading program announced
CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. » State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa recently announced the launch of this year’s annual Summer Reading at New York Libraries program.
The New York State Education Department and New York State Library are partnering with 1,100 public libraries and neighborhood branches statewide for the summer program. Libraries across New York will host exciting activities and events throughout the summer with the goal of bringing children, families, and communities together for reading and enrichment programs. Activities for all age levels will include performances, craft programs, story times, workshops, author events, and more. This year’s slogan, “All Together Now,” connects students of all ages through the themes of friendship, kindness, inclusion, and diversity.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion in our communities and libraries. This year’s Summer Reading taps into the unique power of libraries to connect children, teens, and families with diverse books and programming that reflect their lives, interests, and experiences,” Rosa said in a news release.
Goals of the Summer Reading at New York Libraries program include:
• Advance literacy and maintain reading skill levels by engaging children and teens in reading and enrichment activities during the summer months
• Foster a love of reading and familiarity with the library’s many resources
• Increase access to expansive and diverse library collections to support children’s self-selected, voluntary reading for fun and pleasure
• Involve parents, caregivers, family members, and the entire community in the library Summer Reading experience
• Increase collaboration between schools, school libraries, and public libraries to promote, facilitate, and increase Summer Reading participation
There are plenty of resources available to encourage summer reading. Public libraries across the state have access to the State Library’s online READsquared app. This resource, available year round, can provide some extra support for the Summer Reading program. Students and families can use the app to track their favorite books and activities.
Some libraries will bring their programming to summer schools and community sites to increase access. Summer readers are also strongly encouraged to visit their local libraries and officially sign up for the Summer Reading programs. Participants who are signed up can register to attend events and activities, track books they’ve read, and earn prizes and badges.
Students who are unable to use standard print materials due to a visual, physical, or reading disability can obtain Summer Reading material through the New York State Talking Book & Braille Library or the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library.
“The theme for this year’s New York Libraries Summer Reading Program, ‘All Together Now,’ is so fitting. I’ve seen first-hand how libraries are truly community hubs that bring people from all walks of life together,” said Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Libraries and Education Technology, in the release. “Sharing the love of libraries and reading helps foster a sense of connection which is so important for our young people, many of whom are experiencing extreme loneliness and feelings of post-pandemic isolation. I’m honored to be helping our youth find the joy that going to the library and reading great books brought me.”
The New York State Library is a program of the State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. For more information visit the NYS Library’s website at https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/.