Help end summer brain drain and replace it with a skill-building joyful Summer of Reading. Become A Friend today and your donation will directly support the Summer Reading Program and a rich array of literacy and STEM programming at all of the branches.
A Universe of Stories awaits at the Library. Growing a lifelong love of reading begins with reading for pleasure during childhood, building deep literacy skills and maintaining that love of reading through the distractions of teen and adult life. Summer reading is an integral part of this journey.
Ninety percent of children say they would be more likely to finish a book of their own choosing. Summer Reading programs offer prizes to reward children for reading books they choose. A respite from grades, assessments and choices made by teachers allows burgeoning readers control of their reading life. They chart their own adventures and build a relationship with books around their own passions and interests.
Thoughtfully presented Library programs and events provide an opportunity to engage with stories that inspire children to look to reading a book to learn more. This is critical for reluctant readers looking for an accessible pathway into what may be a more challenging endeavor for them. Combating summer learning loss takes two to three hours of practice or studying each week. Summer Library programs like Dog Days @ The Library Saturday, August 24th at the Main Library and Paws to Read at the Montana Branch (Thursday & Saturdays from 2:00 – 3:00 pm through August 3rd) offer children the chance to read with a Paws 4 Healing therapy dog are just the inspiration many children need.
Interactive hands-on Summer Reading programming like Toy Maker Workshops, Mini Makers and Crafty Explorers offer children a tactile way to engage with the Library in STEM learning. No longer just a place to read about science, mathematics, technology and engineering our Libraries are great informal learning environments. Exciting STEM programming motivates children to learn more about phenomena in the physical world.
Research informs us that children who read over the summer gain literacy skills and return to school in the fall having gained one month of reading proficiency. Children who do not read over the summer can lose as much as two to three months of learning by the time they return to school. These losses accumulate each summer; by 5th grade those children who did not read over the summer are often two to three grades behind their peers in reading skills. This achievement gap only worsens through high school. With access to free books and Summer Reading Programs at branches across the City, the Santa Monica Public Library is committed to seeing that all Santa Monica children make gains each summer. Through its sale of used books, with children’s selections from $.50 to $2.00, the Friends hopes to provide families with the ability to build a home library.