NJ libraries make reading fun with summer programs

Summer seems to be synonymous with the outdoors. After all, it’s the season of music festivals, day trips to the beach, picnics and afternoons at the park. However, besides the slides found in water parks and playgrounds, children may also be subject to something known as the “summer slide,” which is when students’ academic abilities decline when they return to school in the fall.

Libraries across New Jersey aim to combat this with summer reading programs that offer challenges and prizes to motivate students to continue reading during the dog days of summer. Though the libraries in Hunterdon and Somerset counties and Middlesex Borough have unique approaches to each of their programs, all have similar goals of making reading as much fun as a vacation or playing outdoors.

In Hunterdon, libraries include a program for both adults and kids, said youth services librarian Aimee Wolsko. Teens and adults have the option of writing a book review of what they read, which is posted on the library’s blog and counts as a raffle ticket for weekly gift card drawings to local shops and restaurants.

Once the summer ends, adult readers are also rewarded with a themed party. Since this year’s theme is outer space, there will be a Makerspace for participants to make crafts. For kids, anyone who reads more than five books or has 10 books read to them can color a rocket ship at the library and pick a prize.

Though the program has gone more digital since it was first implemented more than 30 years ago, Wolsko said kids continue to be excited about reading what they want to read, as opposed to what they must read.

“In terms of kids’ excitement levels about reading books and getting prizes, that hasn’t changed. We keep doing the same thing because they’re so excited,” she said.

Summer reading challenge draws increased participation

In Somerset, the libraries offer a summer reading challenge as opposed to a program, said Carolann Dematos, the director of marketing and public relations. Instead of encouraging children to read more books, the challenge simply encourages children to challenge themselves and read more, with a focus on quality rather than quantity. Prizes for the challenge vary from books, gift cards and even baseball tickets.

Last year, the challenge had 7,584 total registrants, which is a 7.6 percent increase over 2017. Even more impressive is the 27 percent increase in time spent reading, with a total of 172,152 days read. Dematos said the library hopes there will be an even larger turnout this year.

Making literacy a priority

These statistics go against the national trend, which Dematos attributes to partnerships with various businesses and community groups. Last year, the library partnered with MyCentralJersey.com and the Somerset Patriots for its summer reading challenge. This year, it has expanded to also partner with the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board, the Somerset County Business Partnership, Empower Somerset and Barnes and Noble.

“We’re tying together all of our community groups to make literacy and reading a priority throughout the county,” she said. “There’s a lot of conversation happening, which helps with promotion.”

Middlesex Public library takes a creative approach to summer reading with their game board challenge, which youth services librarian Maureen Donohue said helps with getting reluctant readers to pick up more books. The challenge provides different activities to do each day during the summer, such as reading a comic book, reading at the beach and building a fort and reading under it.

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Donohue has seen first-hand the change in the summer reading program throughout the decades, since she grew up in Middlesex Borough.

“I remember when I was younger if you read the most pages, you got an award. Now that we got rid of the book counting aspect, there’s not so much pressure,” she said. “Kids have the freedom to go out of their comfort zone and do fun activities with their family.”

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For those interested in participating or registering their children for any of these summer reading programs, Hunterdon County’s begins June 24, Somerset County’s began on June 17 and registration for Middlesex Borough’s game board is already underway, with the official challenges beginning July 6.

Editorial Intern Catherine Nguyen; (908)-243-6616; cnguyen@mycentraljersey.com; Twitter @catherine_v_n.