Libraries know all about the “summer slide.” We’ve addressed summer learning loss with reading clubs and other educational programs for decades. As a matter of fact, some families have come to view libraries as a sort of summer school or educational camp during the longest, hottest days of the year. Whoever thinks summers are slow at a library has never visited a youth department in June, July or August!
Knoxville Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program (SRP) took place in June and July 2016, following the national theme for early readers and children, “On Your Mark, Get Set, READ!,” which focused on sports and keeping active.
Summer is here. It’s time to spread out the beach towels, lather on the sunscreen and prepare for summer programming.
Summer reading programs combat the period between school years when reading skills decline and educational growth made during the year diminishes. But summer reading isn’t the only way to keep kids’ minds in motion when school is out. These seven programs think “outside the book” to expand “summer reading” into “summer learning.”
