Arizona Reading Program
The Arizona Reading Program (ARP), sponsored by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, promotes literacy development by providing resources that help librarians plan, promote, and implement reading programs for all ages. Each library is encouraged to adapt the resources on this site to meet the needs and assets of their own community.
For information on the importance of summer library programs please visit: https://azsos.libguides.com/azsummerlibrary
This project 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.
Promoting Your Library's Summer Programs
- Increase knowledge – Help your community learn more about the advantages of participating in summer library programs at https://azsos.libguides.com/azsummerlibrary.
- Strategize your marketing message – What problem will a summer visit to the library solve for your customer? What are the most exciting services your library has to offer this summer?
- Amplify awareness – Include #AzReadingProgram and other appropriate hashtags with social media posts.
- Leverage available resources
Arizona Reading Program Themes
The Arizona State Library participates in the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) as a member and pays for membership for all public libraries in Arizona. This allows the State Library to make available to Arizona libraries the exclusive materials created for member use only. The State Library provides manuals, banners, posters, bookmarks, reading logs, stamps, and certificates to support summer reading programs throughout Arizona. Libraries can use their own or partner funds to purchase incentive and other materials not provided by the State Library.
- 2023: All Together Now : Todos Juntos Ahora – Kindness/Friendship/Unity (Frank Morrison)
- 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library : La aventura comienza en tu biblioteca – Adventure (Juana Martinez-Neal)
- 2025: Color Our World : Colorea nuestro mundo – Art (Brian Floca)
Summer Reading Evaluation
We request several key pieces of information annually and encourage you to review the 2023 ARP Final Report Worksheet before summer reading begins to gather the necessary information. We have added space for you to enter virtual programming and share the other creative ways you are serving your community.
Below are the Patron Surveys. We used the Project Outcome Summer Reading Survey as the template for this year’s Patron Surveys. If you plan to use a paper survey you can download the .pdfs of the Patron Surveys provided below.
If you create an online patron survey, we request that you use the same wording and response options provided in the Patron Survey templates. You are welcome to add questions.
If you have any concerns, please contact [email protected] and we will work together to get the information submitted.
Arizona Presenters' Showcase (https://showcase.azsummerreading.org/)
The Arizona Presenters' Showcase is a listing of artists, educators and presenters that are interested in presenting to Arizona library audiences.
Library staff can leave feedback on the listed presenters to help others narrow down their choices. If you have a favorite presenter that is not listed, share this website with them and they can submit their event to be included.
Listing within the Arizona Presenters' Showcase is not an endorsement by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records (State Library). State Library does not endorse individual vendors, products or services. For more information about presenters, contact libraries that have hosted them within the past two years. These are listed under “References.” If none are listed, please exercise due diligence by requesting references.
Online Summer Reading
Exciting way to track summer reading achievements.
Many Arizona libraries are participating in an exciting new way to participate in summer reading online. This new approach gives participants a chance to engage with online literacy activities and rewards, such as educational games, and badges, all while continuing to become better readers.
Maricopa County Reads
In 2014 Maricopa County Library District, developed and piloted (with support from federal LSTA funding granted by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records) the Great Reading Adventure online reading program. The Great Reading Adventure is a web-based, open-source software program designed to manage reading programs in schools and libraries. Maricopa County Library District provides support to all libraries within Maricopa County.
If you have questions or need technical support for the Maricopa County Reads online program, please contact email.
READsquared
For the 14 other Arizona Counties, the Arizona State Library offers an online software to support virtual participation in reading programs. READsquared allows your library to custom tailor the patron experience with targeted features, functions, and content by age, and promote community support thru collaboration with schools, museums, and program sponsors.
- Advanced statistics at your fingertips with pre-developed, ad-hoc, and analytics reporting.
- Engage patrons all year long with targeted user experience and content.
- Inspire participation with curated book recommendations, fun activities, literacy games, prize notifications, raffles, and more.
- Participants can log reading and activities via the mobile website and seamlessly integrated app.
If you are interested in using the online summer reading tool in your library contact Donna Throckmorton by email.
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.
