It's that time of year and the Summer Reading List begins to show up at public libraries, either clutched in the hand of a youth or presented by a parent. If there has been any communication between the school and public library, this list should not be a surprise. All too often, it is. But it doesn't have to be!

Communication is the key. Establishing a connection early in the school year with the school librarian can help toward demystifying that list. Some communities are successful in actual collaboration on the list. Some have at least cooperated on distributing the list. The result is a list, which youth services librarians can support. One way of support is posting either the list or a link to their library web site. Below are some samples from libraries around the region.

Amesbury Public Library:
http://www.amesburylibrary.org/childrens_reading_list.htm

Memorial Hall Library, Andover:
http://www.mhl.org/kids/lists/index.htm

Beverly Public Library:
http://www.noblenet.org/beverly/readingzone.html

Billerica Public Library:
http://www.billericalibrary.org/Children's_Room/children.htm

Sawyer Free Library, Gloucester:
http://www.sawyerfreelibrary.org/yak.html

Haverhill Public Library:
http://www.teencybercenter.org/lists/srl/srl2003.htm

Pollard Memorial Library, Lowell:
http://www.pollardml.org/jreadadv.html

Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library:
http://www.manchesterpl.org/children's_room.htm#Book%20Lists

Peabody Institute Library, Peabody:
http://www.peabodylibrary.org/ya/summerreading.htm

Reading Public Library:
http://www.readingpl.org/kidspage.html links directly to http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/

Saugus Public Library:
http://www.noblenet.org/saugus/ (Scroll to the bottom of the page)

J.V. Fletcher Library, Westford:
http://www.westfordlibrary.org/youngadult/summer_reading.htm