GROWING MINDS COUNTYWIDE
Summer Reading
The library’s annual Summer Reading Program keeps students engaged with reading during school breaks, helping to prevent summer learning loss while fostering a love of books through incentives and fun activities. During the summer months, the Lunch at the Library Program provides nutritious meals for children, ensuring that students have access to food in a welcoming space throughout the summer. Through the library’s partnership with FoodShare, they enhance the Program by offering nutrition education in the form of Kids’ Farmers Market classes, teaching children about healthy eating habits, fresh produce, and food literacy in engaging, hands-on ways.
A single summer without reading can impact a child for life. Over multiple summers, this loss of reading skill will cause a child to fall further and further behind their peers. One simple act — reading in summer — can advance a child’s reading level and protect the skills they work so hard to build during the school year.
Summer Reading is designed as a fun and challenging game, but really, it’s serious business. Studies show that library summer reading programs stop this summer slide in its tracks. Multnomah County Library’s Summer Reading program is among the nation’s most far-reaching and successful. It is proven to boost a child’s time spent reading, allowing every child the opportunity to return to school with the skills they need to succeed.
Summer Reading 2024 engaged nearly 100,000 children — including 97% of all elementary students in the county. Skilled outreach specialists brought books directly to families who face the toughest literacy risks, setting up pop-up libraries in public parks, housing developments, migrant camps, and free lunch sites to connect with children and parents.
Summer Reading also offers a life-changing opportunity for teens. During the summer of 2024, hundreds of teen volunteers had the chance to work side-by-side with librarians to gain work experience that enhanced college and job applications. Teens greeted young readers, helped them select books and learned about customer service from librarians.
Summer Reading wouldn’t be possible without the support of donors, community business partners, and foundations who support this wildly successful program.