Brooklyn Public Library Combats “Summer Slide” by Encouraging Students to Read While School is Out
Brooklyn, NY – Hundreds of Brooklyn families and aspiring young superheroes helped launch Brooklyn Public Library’s 2015 Summer Reading program today with superhero-themed events and activities at Central Library and in branches throughout the borough.
Brooklyn Public Library’s annual Summer Reading program, a partnership with the New York City Department of Education, aims to prevent “summer slide” by encouraging students to visit the library and continue reading while school is out of session. Students who do not read during the summer often suffer declines in their reading skills equivalent to the loss of one month’s classroom instruction. Summer slide disproportionately affects students from low-income families.
“Young people who read over the summer are more likely to succeed in school and become lifelong learners,” said Brooklyn Public Library President & CEO Linda Johnson. “With school out of session, we encourage Brooklyn students and families to visit their local libraries and enjoy the many pleasures and benefits of summertime reading.”
Brooklynites who would like to enroll in Summer Reading may do so at www.summerreading.org or at any of BPL’s 60 branches.
Last year, a record 138,000 participants enrolled in the Summer Reading program. The Library expects to break that record this year, thanks in part to the efforts of new youth librarians hired last year with $2.8 million in operating funds that BPL is currently slated to lose in the City’s proposed FY 2016 executive budget. Through their partnership in the citywide Invest in Libraries campaign, New York City’s three library systems have urged the City to restore $65 million in operating funds to libraries in this year’s budget so that all 217 NYC branches are open to the public at least six days per week. Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library and Queens Library are also requesting $1.4 billion in capital funding for critical renovations and maintenance.
“We are proud to support effective solutions to our borough’s educational challenges, of which summer slide is among the most harmful,” said Chairman Albert C. Wiltshire of the National Grid Foundation, the lead supporter of Brooklyn Public Library’s 2015 Summer Reading program. “Fortunately, we can prevent summer slide by nurturing students’ reading skills throughout the year and encouraging them to spend time at their libraries this summer.”
The Summer Reading kickoff provided Brooklyn families an opportunity to sign up for the program and get started on several contests, including:
- The Summer Challenge, in which teens, tweens and adults complete creative and engaging activities to be entered in a drawing for a set of books specially curated for the lucky winner by a BPL librarian. Eligible activities include writing a book review, checking out a library book and attending a library program.
- The Summer Reading Gameboard, with superhero-themed activities for younger children and a grand prize drawing for a curated book set.
- The Baseball Book Review Contest, in which young people ages 6-18 can write a review of any book about baseball for a chance to represent Brooklyn Public Library at the Summer Reading Yankees game on Wednesday, August 26. Before the game, winners will be invited onto the field to meet a Yankee and be congratulated on the video board.
In addition to lead support from the National Grid Foundation, the Summer Reading program is supported by Astoria Bank, Con Edison, and Macy’s. Additional support is provided by Ivy Rose Foundation, Inc., and The New York Community Trust – ELSAM Fund.
About Brooklyn Public Library:
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/.
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