"Get a Clue @ Your Library"
San José's Summer Reading Celebration Kicks
Off June 16
March 26, 2007 -
Saturday, June 16, the first wave of an estimated
25,000-plus youth and their families are expected to queue up at
San José Public Libraries to sign up for the annual Summer
Reading Celebration. The eight-week program encourages recreational
reading as a family activity, offering fun prizes as rewards for
reaching each of five reading milestones for a cumulative total
of 30 hours.
Each year program materials carry a new theme to spark the imagination
and engage readers' sense of fun. This year Get a Clue @ your
library serves children (birth through grade 5) and YNK @ your library
serves teens (grades 6-12).
For the first time this year, San José Public Library will
offer an additional program component specifically for adults, Summer
Sleuthing @ your library. Throughout the month of July, adults are
invited to read books and win prizes through weekly drawings at
all San José library locations. Prizes will include bookstore
gift certificates, restaurant and coffee shop certificates, and
other great prizes from local businesses. Several San José
libraries will also host mystery author programs in July.
While the focus of Summer Reading Celebration is on promoting reading
as an enjoyable, stress-free activity, there is a more serious underlying
benefit for young people. Research has shown that student learning
declines or remains stagnant during the summer months; phenomena
often referred to as the "summer setback." However,
research also shows that children who read or are read to at least
three times a week have a higher rate of academic success than children
from homes where they have less exposure to books. The Library's
summer reading program has proven to be a great motivator to get
families coming to the library on a regular basis and reading. Eighty
percent of participants surveyed last year report that they both
read more and enjoyed reading more as a result of the program.
San José residents may sign up any time starting June 16
and complete as many milestones as they wish. Family members may
sign up for the youth programs individually or as a group, tracking
progress with one reading log. Credit may also be earned for reading
aloud to younger family members. Those who complete all five stages
will take home a free book. Participants may complete as many logs
as they wish, but only one for prizes.
Library activities increase during the summer to provide educational
and recreational activities that are both entertaining and free,
encouraging return visits. In addition to the mystery author appearances
for adults, this year's program features performances by:
P&T Puppet Theatre, presenting "The Adventures of Spider
and Fly;" Magician Phil Ackerly; and Zun Zun, celebrating
the environment and culture through music. Check SJLibrary.org starting
in June for program schedules and other upcoming events.
Teens may earn community service credit for volunteering to assist
program participants at their neighborhood library. With the exception
of teensReach volunteers, summer reading volunteers must be 15 years
of age or older. Volunteers commit to assisting 2-4 hours per week
over the course of the eight-week program, typically between noon
and 4 p.m. Good verbal communications skills and an ability to work
with people of all ages is required.
Library programs such as Summer Reading Celebration are funded in
part by the ten-year Library Parcel Tax approved by San José
voters in 2004. This year's program is made possible with
additional funding received from the City of San José and
the Friends of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Each year's
Celebration is further enhanced through generous community support.
Background
Summer
reading was formalized by San José Public Library as a system-wide
program in 1994. First conceived as a program that would encourage
recreational summer reading among children in grades K-6, it gradually
expanded to include preschoolers and teens. The program underwent
a major overhaul in 2001, introducing a new system that awarded
points for time spent reading, which could be redeemed for prizes
at specified intervals. Recognizing the importance of parental support,
the program expanded once more to invite adult participation. Participation
has increased from 10,852 in 1994 to 24, 604 in 2006.
For more information, contact:
• Lorraine Oback, San José Public Library, at (408)
808-2176
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