Summer reading and your public library

Do you have an active NIE summer school program? Are you interested in developing a summer reading initiative and supporting your public library’s efforts to encourage summer reading?

Public libraries across the nation work together in support of summer reading through the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP). The theme for 2013 is “Dig into Reading” and “Beneath the Surface” as themes for summer reading and approved the use of its logos on twenty-three (23) features that encourage young readers to use their newspapers and public libraries. Obtain written permission from CSLP before using the logos in other ways, and retain all credit lines in the features. Visit CSLP’s website for details about the way the program works in each of the 50 states: www.cslpreads.org.

Choose among the features offered to serve your library and your newspaper and promote reading on which both depend. You may convert color versions of features to black and white.

• Publish in print or online and/or send by email any or all of the features.
• Distribute the features at your library, with permission.
• Promote your library’s summer reading events for children.
• Make getting a library card the first step!

A special THANK YOU goes out to Sandra Cook, North Carolina Press Foundation, Newspapers In Education (NCPF NIE) for writing these features and Crystal Willis at the News Times in Morehead City for designing and producing the features.  Space at the bottom of each feature allows for additional logos. Newspapers may choose one or more features to run in their print and/or online editions each week during the summer. Features may be distributed on websites, through email or, with approval, at local public libraries. Here's a list of the titles of the features for each theme:

PLEASE NOTE: Each link above will take you to the NCPF website to download these features.

Contact your local public library to discuss and make plans for working together.

Click here to find the public library near you.

The features created to support two 2010 Collaborative Summer Library Program’s (CSLP’s) summer reading themes: Make a Splash, Read! and Make Waves at Your Library by the North Carolina Press Foundation are still available below.

How can newspapers use these educational features?

Use any or all of the features

Add newspaper logos or logos for sponsors in the space provided in all features

Publish the features in print newspapers and/or e-editions

Post links to the features on newspaper Web sites, such as education sites and sites targeting parents

Distribute the features through email or other communication to NIE teachers

Offer the features/activities to public libraries as giveaways

Select and complete activities with groups of students at your library

Use the poem, Molly Morrow’s Message, as a model for a writing opportunity that encourages students to write a poem about a current event or issue and publish the poems in print or online (when publishing student work, if the student is under 13, be sure to follow laws; often newspapers use first name and last initial as signature for student work)

The series includes twelve quarterpage activities and one half-page feature focused on Molly Minnow, a poem about a timely issue (coral reefs) that relates to the summer reading theme. The poem encourages readers to write a poem in response to current events. Special thanks to Sandra Cook and the North Carolina Press Foundation for sharing these materials, to teacher and author Tom Tufts who provided the poem and to The News-Times in Morehead City, N.C., for designing the features. Thanks to NIE professionals and the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) for offering advice and to CSLP for approving use of its logos for this project.

If you use these materials in any way, be sure to let Mary Miller know and please send tearsheets if you use them in print.

NOTE! ABC does not treat libraries as classrooms when counting circulation. BUT, Libraries offer the community key resources and share concern for literacy and First Amendment, the values that underpin educational programs supported by newspapers.

For more on Newspapers in Education please contact Mary Miller at: mmiller@nynpa.com or call (518) 449-1667.

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