Or: How to Avoid the Summer Slide
Did you know that kids who do not continue reading over the summer can lose up to two months of the reading gains they achieved during the school year? This especially affects low-income children. Almost all of Idaho’s public libraries offer some type of summer reading program to help keep the children in their communities reading during the summer months.
Idaho does not currently have a statewide summer reading program. Each library designs, implements, and funds its own program to meet the needs of its community.
Basics
- Idaho is part of the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), a national collaborative of states that designs and provides low-cost, high-quality programs, resources, promotional materials, and incentives. Each year, the ICfL provides membership to all Idaho public libraries.
- In October or November, the ICfL send a CSLP program manual and incentive catalog to each library that has submitted the previous year’s summer reading report (see Evaluation, below). The manual includes programming ideas and artwork for early literacy, children, teens, and adults.
- In January or February, the ICfL send three posters with the CSLP slogan and artwork to each library that has submitted the previous year’s Summer Reading report. You can use these to begin promoting your library’s Summer Reading Program.
- The ICfL does not provide Summer Reading funds. Libraries used budgeted funds, additional funds from Friends groups, and solicited donations to fund programs. The earlier you begin assembling your budget, the better.
- All libraries must submit a final report in September, even if your library does not host a Summer Reading Program.
Evaluation
The Summer Reading support provided by the ICfL is funded with Library Services and Technology Act dollars, and the ICfL is required to report how the funds were used and the impact that was made. Therefore, we ask each library to submit a report about its Summer Reading Program.
- Reports are due by September 15. The link to the report can be found on the ICfL’s Summer Learning webpage. That is also where you can find a preview of the report, which will tell you what information to collect as you are planning your program.
- If your library did not host a Summer Reading Program, you still need to submit a report.
- Because the ICfL pays CSLP membership and provides a program manual for each library branch, each branch must submit a separate report. Check with the other branch managers to determine how participation will be tracked and reported.
- The report asks whether your participation outputs increased, decreased, or remained the same. You may need to search for the participation information from the previous year, so begin early.
- A spreadsheet to keep track of your participation outputs each year is available on the ICfL’s Summer Reading Resources page, along with additional information about evaluation and a template to survey your patrons.
- If you fail to submit your SRP report, your library will not be eligible for the upcoming year’s program manual, posters, or books. It may also affect your eligibility to apply for grant funding.
Timeline
- October or November: Program manuals are shipped to each library and branch library that has submitted a Summer Reading report for the current year. Open it immediately and begin planning!
- December 1: First order deadline for CSLP incentive catalog. The materials should arrive by March 1.
- December through February: Contact schools to discuss Summer Reading promotion and partnerships. Do not wait until March or April.
- January through March: Continue planning, securing presenters, etc.
- April through May: Promotion in schools and community. Finalize programs and presenters.
- June through August: Summer Reading Programs. Dates vary by community.
- September 15: Summer Reading Reports due.
Questions
For questions about Summer Reading, contact:
Jennifer Redford, Youth Services Consultant
208-639-4147 | jennifer.redford@libraries.idaho.gov