Summer Reading Program

2 girls carrying a tray of books and blowing bubble gum, text reads "All Together Now"

2023 All Together Now!

Every bit a child reads makes a difference in their reading skills for the summer and keeps them prepared for returning to school.

Reading for teens and adults keeps the mind sharp and creative!

Summer Library Program facts

  • Summer reading loss is a key factor contributing to the achievement gap between struggling and successful students.
  • Lower-achieving students are less likely to read out of school.
  • Those comfortable reading are more likely to choose recreational reading as a summer activity. 
  • Having access to books, and having books in the home, is essential to building strong readers.
  • Public libraries can break these cycles and get materials into the homes of children who do not have their own books.
  • Children who don’t read over the summer lose 3 months of reading comprehension.
  • The loss is accumulative – by the end of 6th grade these kids are 2 school years behind their peers.
  • Middle school is too late; even with the best remedial classes, these students will remain behind their peers.
  • Reading as few as 4 books keeps kids at their current reading levels.
  • Young children with richer home literacy environments succeed when they begin school.
  • Freedom to select reading materials of their choice results in strengthening reading skills.

Created by Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, 10/06
Research available at:
www.readingrockets.org
www.summerlearning.org



  1. 2022
  2. 2021
  3. 2020
  4. 2019

This summer, we explored our Oceans of Possibilities adventures in reading!  We hoped everyone had as much fun as we did!

  • 705 patrons of all ages took on our reading challenges! A NEW RECORD OF PARTICIPANTS!
  • Participants included 607 kids and 98 adults!
  • 25.7% of kids finished their 800-minute reading challenge and 22.5% of adults finished their 6 book challenge!
  • Kids read a total of 376,946 minutes! That is equal to 6,282 hours or 261 solid days! It's also almost 60,000 more minutes than last year! A NEW RECORD!
    • Ages 0-4 Minutes of Top Prize Readers : 2,985 minutes to 3,630 minutes
    • Ages 5-9 Minutes of Top Prize Readers : 6,440 minutes to 7,820 minutes
    • Ages 10-13 Minutes of Top Prize Readers : 11,070 minutes to 19,152 minutes
    • Ages 14-17 Minutes of Top Prize Reader : 7,510 minutes to 16,460 minutes
  • Adults read a total of 333 books!
    • Number of Books of Top Prize Readers : 24 books to 49 books
  • The Melissa Public Library provided 47 programs over the summer!