April 2, 2007

‘Get a Clue @ Your Library’

San Jose's Summer Reading Celebration kicks off June 16

On Saturday, June 16, the first wave of an estimated 25,000-plus youth and their families are expected to queue up at San Jose Public Libraries to sign up for the annual Summer Reading Celebration.

The eight-week program encourages recreational reading as a family activity, offering fun prizes as rewards for reaching each of five reading milestones for a cumulative total of 30 hours.

Each year program materials carry a new theme to spark the imagination and engage readers' sense of fun. This year, Get a Clue @ Your Library serves children (birth through grade five) and YNK @ Your Library serves teens (grades six to 12).

For the first time this year, San Jose Public Library will offer an additional program component specifically for adults, Summer Sleuthing @ Your Library. Throughout the month of July, adults are invited to read books and win prizes through weekly drawings at all San Jose library locations. Prizes will include bookstore gift certificates, restaurant and coffee shop certificates, and other great prizes from local businesses. Several San Jose libraries will also host mystery author programs in July.

While the focus of Summer Reading Celebration is on promoting reading as an enjoyable, stress-free activity, there is a more serious underlying benefit for young people. Research has shown that student learning declines or remains stagnant during the summer months; phenomena often referred to as the "summer setback."

However, research also shows that children who read or are read to at least three times a week have a higher rate of academic success than children from homes where they have less exposure to books.

The library's summer reading program has proven to be a great motivator to get families coming to the library on a regular basis and reading. Eighty percent of participants surveyed last year report that they both read more and enjoyed reading more as a result of the program.

San Jose residents may sign up any time starting June 16 and complete as many milestones as they wish. Family members may sign up for the youth programs individually or as a group, tracking progress with one reading log.
Credit may also be earned for reading aloud to younger family members. Those who complete all five stages will take home a free book. Participants may complete as many logs as they wish, but only one for prizes.

Library activities increase during the summer to provide educational and recreational activities that are both entertaining and free, encouraging return visits. In addition to the mystery author appearances for adults, this year's program features performances by P&T Puppet Theatre, presenting "The Adventures of Spider and Fly;" Magician Phil Ackerly; and Zun Zun, celebrating the environment and culture through music. Check SJLibrary.org starting in June for program schedules and other upcoming events.

Teens may earn community service credit for volunteering to assist program participants at their neighborhood library. With the exception of teensReach volunteers, summer reading volunteers must be 15 years of age or older. Volunteers commit to assisting two to four hours per week over the course of the eight-week program, typically between noon and 4 p.m. Good verbal communications skills and an ability to work with people of all ages is required.

Library programs such as Summer Reading Celebration are funded in part by the 10-year Library Parcel Tax approved by San Jose voters in 2004. This year's program is made possible with additional funding received from the city of San Jose and the Friends of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.

Each year's celebration is further enhanced through generous community support.

As summer approaches, visit the Web page at SJLibrary.org for additional information. Alternatively, contact your neighborhood library or King Library Youth Services at (408) 808-2183.

Background
San Jose Public Library formalized summer reading as a system-wide program in 1994. First conceived as a program that would encourage recreational summer reading among children in grades kindergarten through sixth, it gradually expanded to include preschoolers and teens. The program underwent a major overhaul in 2001, introducing a new system that awarded points for time spent reading, which could be redeemed for prizes at specified intervals.

Recognizing the importance of parental support, the program expanded once more to invite adult participation. Participation has increased from 10,852 people in 1994 to 24, 604 in 2006.

About San Jose Public Library
San Jose Public Library (SJPL) is the largest public library system between San Francisco and Los Angeles on California's Central Coast, serving a culturally diverse population of 954,000 in the nation's 10th largest city.

Recipient of the prestigious national Library of the Year award, SJPL is recognized across the country for its innovation and leadership in the field and is one of the busiest libraries nationwide, with an annual checkout rate of more than 14 million items.