Summer Learning
Help children maintain or improve their school readiness during the summer.
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Summer Library Program Manuals arrive!
- Meet with library director and summer programs staff to determine outcomes, set output goals, and develop evaluation tools. You have lots of time!
- Read through CSLP “Guide to Getting Started” found on your USB or online manual.
- If you are interested in offering summer meals or snacks, contact the Child Nutrition Program at the Idaho State Department of Education now.
- Dec. 1: First CSLP Catalog order deadline. Receive orders by March 1st (Catalogs were included with your CSLP manual. If you need additional catalogs, please contact jennifer.redford@libraries.idaho.gov)
- Look for notice about ordering free CSLP posters from ICfL (LibIdaho, The Scoop)
- Jan. 1: Second CSLP Catalog order deadline- Receive orders by April 1
- If your budget allows, this is the time to contact potential performers (for in-person or virtual programming).
- If you are interested in offering meals or snacks this summer, now is the time to begin planning: https://www.sde.idaho.gov/cnp/sfsp/
- Begin contacting community partners if you plan to offer outreach programs that target underserved children. Once your plans are finalized you can apply to distribute books through the ICfL’s Outreach to Underserved Children program: https://libraries.idaho.gov//rtm/underserved-program/
- CSLP posters provided by ICfL are shipped to libraries.
- Call schools to schedule visits in April and May.
- Contact local businesses and organizations for sponsorship support.
- Continue planning outreach programs with community partner(s).
- See Social Media Toolkit in CSLP USB manual or at www.cslpreads.org.
- March 1: Third CSLP Catalog order deadline – receive orders by May 1. (for orders placed after March 1, call for estimated shipping date)
- Details of summer programs should be finalized in order to prepare flyers and other promotional literature.
- Contact local businesses and organizations for sponsorship support.
- Develop evaluation tool(s) to evaluate quality and effectiveness of your SRP.
- Summer Outreach for Underserved Children: Apply for giveaway books by June 15 at https://libraries.idaho.gov//rtm/underserved-program/
- Order Youth Explorer Passes (State Parks Passes): link Coming soon!
- See Social Media Toolkit in CSLP Program Manual (USB version or on website, www.cslpreads.org)
- Visit schools
- Mail Summer Library Program promotional literature
- Develop system to track summer program participation (In-House, Outreach).
- PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE! See resources in your CSLP program manual and/or at www.cslpreads.org.
Good luck with your summer programs. Have fun, and remember to evaluate your programs
- Give yourself a pat on the back!
- Send thank-you notes to Summer Library Program sponsors and thank all library staff and volunteers who helped out this summer.
- Compile data into a brief for trustees and other stakeholders.
- Send press releases to local media regarding Summer Library Program participation.
- September 15: Last day to submit ICfL Summer Reading Report
Summer reading programs are designed to help children maintain or improve the reading skills they developed during the school year, so that when school resumes in the fall, they are ready to continue moving forward. There is no statewide summer reading program in Idaho; rather, Idaho libraries host programs that are implemented and funded locally. The Idaho Commission for Libraries provides the following support for Idaho summer reading programs:
ICfL Resources
CSLP Membership
The Collaborative Summer Library Program contains many feature-rich summer reading resources for members. Idaho is a member state, which means that all publicly-funded libraries in Idaho have been included in our membership, giving library staff access to copyrighted annual themes, artwork, program manuals, and more.
State Parks Passes
Through a partnership with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Idaho libraries can request Youth Explorer Passes to use as summer reading prizes or for outreach events. The passes allow one-time entrance to any of Idaho’s State Parks for one vehicle. Public libraries, community libraries, and volunteer libraries that host an official summer reading program are eligible to request passes. School libraries or schools are not eligible to request passes– please partner with your local library for summer reading programming.
Regional Summer Learning Workshops
The ICfL hosts six regional Summer Learning Workshops around the state in the fall of and winter to foster connections and communication between libraries that are geographically close (including both public and school libraries), share regional resources, provide training on research-based best practices for summer learning, and engaging in planning activities for the summer.
Summer STEM Grant
The Idaho STEM Action Center has provided funds to the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) to award up to 65 public, school, or academic libraries $500 each to help pay for materials or presenters to support STEM outreach efforts during the summer. ICfL will also help provide a toolkit for learning activities, a branded yard sign and other resources.
Outreach
Children who attend summer library programs can curb summer learning loss and maintain reading achievement levels. However, in many Idaho cities and towns, the children who most need library summer reading programs are not able to get to the library. Libraries that can get out into the community where children and families are likely to gather during the summer can have great impact on children’s access to print materials. The ICfL supports libraries’ outreach efforts during the summer by providing books that can be distributed to children birth to age 18.
Evaluating Your Summer Reading Program
If you are an Idaho library planning to offer a children’s and/or teen summer reading program, please prepare to collect participation statistics this summer and submit them to the ICfL by September 15. (Link to report is at below.)
Summer reading program materials, such as CSLP program manuals, are LSTA-funded. Every public library is required to submit a report, which includes participation numbers (if your library is not hosting a summer reading program, simply indicate this on the report). These statistics are used by the ICfL to fulfill reporting requirements issued by the IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services), which administers LSTA funding at the federal level. Failure to report your data will jeopardize your library’s eligibility for future summer reading books and materials.
See a Preview of the report questions: PDF Word Doc
This preview will allow you to design data collection instruments and procedures at the beginning of your summer reading program. You can even download the Word doc and work on it in increments throughout the summer, then transfer the information to the online report below.
Thank you in advance for helping us collect this important data! Questions can be directed to jennifer.redford@libraries.idaho.gov.
2023 SUMMER READING PROGRAM REPORT
DUE SEPT. 15
Thanks to everyone for submitting their report!
