Summer Reading Program

If there was any question of this past summer having been one of the busiest, this morning’s conversation confirmed it! Participants joined in a roundtable discussion of this past summer and peaked at next summer.

Revere Public Library (Lona, Mark) – A handout was passed out to each participant in which the following information was reviewed:

• Publicity – everything was posted on the bulletin board in the children’s room
• Calendar – every activity was included on the June, July, and August calendars – crafts, reading, programs
• Children’s room – students helped with arts and crafts as well as displays
• Incentives – donated books, starship pencils, coupons, starship stamp
• Programs – outreach wih several community groups like WIC, Revere Beach, Suffolk Downs (at which a race was named after the Library!) Some of these groups assisted the Library in raising funds, such as the Library selling tickets to Kool and the Gang and keeping a percentage of the sales)

North Reading(Kate) – reported on her work with one elementary school and the summer reading list – she was able to really have input on the selected titles. She visited the schools. Her participants read for a charity – New England Zoos. For every 5 hours read, a participant got a raffle ticket towards one of the supported animals.

Amesbury (Clare) – there was low attendance at programs but lots of book recording. Lots of programs: Todd Brodeur (frisbee champion), NASA programs, continued baby times, drop in crafts (made a moon flower). “Have you seen Commander Toad?” was very popular, kids had to find him somewhere in the community. The Topsfield Fair was a huge draw and motivation for kids to read their 15 hours! Amesbury readers read for Make-A-Wish. Part of the room’s decorations included a huge inflatable solar system, which was hung from the ceiling, accurately representing distances between the planets and sun.

Rockport (Jane) – flyers went to all the schools, a kit for a spaceship was one of the raffle items; others were the three gift certificates to local stores. Stars to track reading progress were cut out by volunteers and then hung about the room as progress was made. Programs included Museum of Science, the Mountain Mushers, and Robert Rivest. It was a successful summer with good newspaper coverage.

Manchester-by-the-Sea(Sara) – Did a lot with the space theme. Starbags were given to the first 150 sign ups. Cut out rocket ships and astronauts marked reading progress on the walls. There was a “lonely space” bulletin board: black posterboard that pronounced it would remain lonely “without your reading”! There’s a lot of self-help options: sign up for programs, coupons. Programs included Judy Pancoast, NASA programs on the LRO and sending your name to Mars on a microchip, the Museum of Science planetarium program, Julie Hahnke. A survey was sent at the end of the summer for feedback.

Melrose (Sandra, YA) – A successful program with an increase in circulation of 14 or 15%. Almost 1000 registered between children’s and YA. Programs included the Mountain Mushers, origami and jewelry, cupcake decoration, twister night, and a manga drawing class given by Jamie McGinnis. A lot of the YA programming was done on very little budget. Teens received a prize for every book they read. If they provided a book report of the book, they got a raffle ticket. A container labelled “the Black Hole” held the tickets and kids got a kick out of putting their tickets into the “black hole”. Thursdays for Teens became popular – time and space was reserved for the teens.

Burlington (Shelley and Charl) – It was the first teen program for Shelley. She chose to focus on different genres related to the space theme like science fiction and fantasy. Programs included: an ice cream social with 40-50 teens in attendance!, water bottle rocket building, bagel and book talk of the genres, Harry Potter events, scary movie night, open MIC night, WI gaming. There were weekly raffles with the grand prize being an IPod Nano. A participant had to have read 1 book from each of the 8 genres.

Charl saw a dip in numbers but reported a busy summer. Kids got their pictures on the photo wall after 24 hours; after 50 they got their name in the paper. Programs were well attended. The successful Star Jumper program was held and is available for loan. Billy the Fish was another success.

Newbury Town Library(Laurie) – Crafts with a space theme were held such as papier mache alien heads and paper airplane night. Went green with the schools, sending library information via school emails to homes. Incentives were good: Topsfield Fair brought in older readers. Folks at the Fair made a big deal of library passes! The Bruins incentive through the online program was good as well. Readers could collect up to 5 different tiny Martians and this proved to be incredibly popular!

Peabody Institute Library, Danvers (JoAnne) – Topsfield Fair was also a huge draw. Many of the same programs were held including the return of the Mountain Mushers and Spoon Man. Drop in craft programs attracted 40-60 folks a week and showing a movie brought in 10-25.

Topsfield Town Library (Jane) – had a busy summer but saw a drop too, especially in the use of the online program. Questions about how to refresh and re-invigorate summer reading programs led to the next discussion on 2010 ideas (next post!)