If you were one of the lucky libraries to receive the Summer Reading Flag as part of your Read for Your Library initiative, here are some guidelines for flying your flag:

1. If you have one flag pole – Only fly the U.S., Idaho and MIA flags

Fall is in the air which means it’s time think about summer reading. The Commission is once again sponsoring the 2009 Bright Futures summer reading outreach program for all publicly-funded Idaho public libraries. Your library can apply to receive free materials to support outreach in your community to reach more underserved children.

Idaho librarians have the opportunity to make their voices heard by voting for Idaho’s suggestions for upcoming summer reading themes. The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) has asked each member state to send their top five suggestions for the 2011 kids theme and 2011 teen theme using the topic World Culture/Travel.

The American Library Association (ALA) is working with the White House, in partnership with the Corporation for National & Community Service, to get libraries involved in a national volunteer initiative that will run from June 22 to September 11, 2009.

We are Teachers provides great resources for both public and school librarians. Here are their recommendations that can give you ideas to help parents prevent summer brain drain!

Partnership ideas & more:

ICfL offers a great new tool for libraries wanting to include preschoolers in summer reading programs. This downloadable gameboard features 20 early literacy activities that parents and caregivers can do with their children at home. The gameboard is versatile and is designed to fit your library’s needs.

CSLP apologizes for the following:
An out-of-date map was used for the continent of Africa, and several countries either changed their name or are misspelled. Youth Services Librarian David Cubie (OH) found the following errors on the map of Africa in Chapter 6:

All Idaho libraries offering summer reading programs must submit a SRP report to ICfL by August 31, 2011.  You can access the report on our Summer Reading web page.  This report contains 30 questions.

For the 2012 Summer Reading Program, the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), working through member states, will be soliciting amateur videos produced by teenagers, to serve as the official CSLP sanctioned summer reading teen videos.