How many of us can recall those fun summers spent at the local library reading books and winning prizes as part of the annual Summer Reading Program? For years, research has shown that these types of programs help prevent the “summer slide,” in which K-12 students lose some of their reading achievement, including vocabulary and comprehension, but did you know Summer Reading Programs aren’t just for kids anymore?
Many libraries, including those in the Treasure Valley, offer programs for readers 18 and older and many of those programs offer fantastic prizes! The
Boise Public Library system for example, advertises prizes for adults including, HD Nooks, iPod Nanos, Fred Myer gift certificates and more. Participants receive an entry into the prize drawings for every two books they read or listen to. That’s right! Audiobooks, eBooks, and books read to pre-readers count too!
During the school year it is so easy to get bogged down in research and required reading that students, and even faculty, often forget the importance of recreational reading. Summer is the perfect opportunity to try a new author, a new genre, or just finally get around to reading that book everyone else seems to have read. Although most libraries require a library card in order to participate, some, like Boise Public and Meridian Public Libraries, don’t even require that you come in to fill out the entry forms; once you have a library card you can submit entries online from the library’s website.
Visit your local
public library to find out more!
Heather Grevatt,
Access Services
