FYI,

 

Happy Summer! This is for you and for you to share with your communities:

 

2023 Statewide Summer Reading Program in New Jersey Public Libraries

 

Everyone of all ages is encouraged to read “All Together Now: Todos Juntos Ahora” at their local public library this summer.

 

This year’s summer reading theme for all ages is kindness/friendship/unity with artwork by Frank Morrison, whose many illustrated children’s books include RESPECT: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, by Carole Boston Weatherford, Kick Push, written and illustrated by Morrison; Jazzy Miz Mozetta by Brenda C. Roberts, Katheryn Russell-Brown’s Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, and Gene Barretta’s Muhammad Ali, among many others.

 

All New Jersey public libraries are members of the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), a nonprofit consortium of state libraries that work together to provide an annual unified summer reading theme. This summer, CSLP has teamed up with NBC's Today show's Read with Jenna to promote  summer reading and public libraries! Check out the new Read with Jenna Summer Reading List that you can give to children’s and teen readers at your library. Library staff are also invited to share how your library is reading with Jenna by submitting content from your library using this Google Form. Examples can be library video tours or photo carousels. The upload limit is 5 files and 10 GB. For more information about this opportunity, check out the latest CSLP newsletter.

 

Research shows that children who read during the summer perform better when school resumes in the fall. To encourage children and adults to visit their local public library in the summer, many libraries give summer reading participants chances to win prizes. They also partner with local schools and other local afterschool organizations to promote the summer reading program. Local businesses and other organizations also work with public libraries by donating prizes or providing programming during the summer months.

 

“Public libraries offer great resources for kids, teens and adults throughout the summer, and the New Jersey Statewide Summer Reading Program offers ways for people of all ages to enjoy reading and have fun at their local libraries,” said Sharon Rawlins, Youth Services Specialist at the New Jersey State Library and project coordinator of the Statewide Summer Reading Program.

 

In 2022, over one million books were read by over 96,000 readers of all ages participating in the summer reading program in New Jersey.  There were over 23,000 summer programs offered, with over 465,000 attendees of all ages in these programs.

 

The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) provides professionally created, evidence-based materials for member libraries to enable them to provide high-quality summer reading programs to their communities at the lowest possible cost. Participation is nationwide, with representation from all fifty states, as well as the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam and the Mariana Islands.

 

The Statewide Summer Reading Program is funded by the New Jersey State Library, which is responsible for the coordination, promotion, and funding of the New Jersey Library Network.

 

For additional information, contact: Sharon Rawlins, Project Coordinator, Statewide Summer Reading Program, Youth Services Specialist, Library Development Bureau, NJ State Library, ...@njstatelib.org" style="color: #2199e8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">sraw...@njstatelib.org, 609.278.2640 ext. 116  

                                                          

 

 

 

 

All the best,

 

Sharon Rawlins, MLS (she/her/hers)

Youth Services Specialist

Library Development Bureau

New Jersey State Library

P. 609-278-2640 x116

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W. www.njstatelib.org

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