Reading Programs At Your Library
Escape the Heat at Your Local Library
Summer library programs in Arizona public libraries enhance lifelong learning and provide meaningful, enjoyable experiences available to everyone in the community. Teens who participate in summer library programs benefit from engaging activities and opportunities which promote the love of reading and can help to counter the summer slide. Reading helps young children gain confidence and develop early language skills. Set your children up for success – visit your local library this summer!
Did you know?
- Libraries are more than just books – speakers and authors, movies and music, classes and cultural events.
- Summer meals, seed libraries, makerspaces and STEM programs are offered at many libraries.
- The State Library is proud to support public libraries statewide to provide opportunities for summer learning.
It’s easy to participate. Here’s how:
- Visit your local public library to sign up the whole family.
- Read 20 minutes every day.
- For very young or struggling readers, spread literacy activities throughout the day
- Make reading fun!
Learn more at: https://azsos.libguides.com/azsummerlibrary
(Download, print and share – link to .pdf)
Summer Programs to Accommodate Visual or Physical Limitation
Readers who are unable to read standard print due to a visual or physical limitation can still participate in Summer Reading. Please contact the Arizona Talking Book Library for more information about books available in audio and Braille formats.
Book Clubs
Many Arizona libraries support book discussion groups that celebrate literature and foster a sense of community. Some public libraries provide kits with a set of books and a discussion guide, to be used by book discussion groups. Some public libraries host in-person book discussion groups or online book groups. Various public libraries provide kits for check-out with a set of books and a discussion guide, to be used by book discussion groups. Visit your public library to join a community group and enjoy thoughtful discussion about a range of titles.
Collaborations
The Department of Education, The Arizona State Library, First Things First, the nonprofit organization Read On Arizona and MetaMetrics®, joined to promote the Arizona Reading Program for parents, educators and students.
The goal of this collaboration is to reduce summer reading slide for Arizona’s students. This partnership uses the public library’s summer reading program as a springboard to involve educators, students and parents in choosing summer reading materials based on interest and Lexile measures.
The Lexile Framework for Reading provides a common, developmental scale for matching reader ability and text difficulty. Lexile measures enable educators, parents and students to select targeted materials that can improve reading skills and to monitor reading growth across the curriculum, in the library and at home.
Libraries are encouraged to collaborate with local educators by visiting schools and keeping teachers and administrators informed about library programs including summer reading.
Statewide summer reading is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
