Summer is a time of fun and sunshine for people of all ages. For our youth, summer is the ideal time to encourage them to maintain, as well as further develop their literacy skills. It is also a great opportunity to encourage them to visit the library regularly. For these reasons, the Moline Public Library is excited to launch its Summer Reading Program, which takes place June 2 through July 26.
Through its Summer Reading Program, the Moline Public Library hopes to instill, as well as foster positive learning habits and long-term literacy skills among youth.
According to Jan LaRoche, a Librarian at the Moline Public Library, Summer Reading Programs are important for youth to participate in because it helps mitigate the "summer slide," which is when students lose literacy skills over the summer when their minds are not being stimulated educationally.
The summer slide, or summer learning loss as others also call it, is not a matter to be taken lightly. According to the National Summer Learning Association, research over the years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of a summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer. Moreover, a 2010 report released by Dominican University shows that students who participate in library summer reading programs score higher on standardized reading tests than those who do not participate in them.
The Moline Public Library's Summer Reading Program will revolve around the theme "Paws to Read." A wide range of programs and events accommodating youth of all ages will be held throughout summer.
Parents of teens are highly encouraged to bring their teen to the library to participate in Moline Public Library's Summer Reading Program. Some event highlights include :
· Teen Iron Chef on Monday, June 9
· Teen Job Program on Thursday, June 19
· The Boomerang Guy on Saturday, June 28
· Handwriting Analysis on Thursday, July 10
For more information about Moline Public Library's Summer Reading Program, please contact Jan LaRoche at 309-524-2470 or online at http://molinelibrary.com.
Moline Public Library's Summer Reading Program is supported in part by a grant from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. YALSA builds the capacity of libraries to serve teens. Learn more about YALSA at www.ala.org/yalsa. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation provides assistance to organizations in implementing and expanding literacy programs for youth. Learn more about Dollar General at www.dollargeneral.com.
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