Summer reading programs aren’t just for kids anymore

This year’s summer reading program at Timberland Regional Library stays true to its roots while embracing new online components and an unlikely crowd of participants.

For the first time in its 53-year history, Timberland is welcoming adults to join its summer reading program. Adults can sign up, log reading minutes and play games online, as well as attend adult-specific programming like chair yoga and book discussions at some locations.

The online components, which also are available to kids and teens, are an effort to give people who are out of town, live in rural areas or can’t get a ride to the library an opportunity to enjoy the summer reading program.

“We know we have a huge population of kids that we just aren’t reaching because they’re stuck at home all summer,” said Kendra Jones, youth services manager at Timberland. This was Jones’ first year planning the summer reading program.

Her goal? Get more people involved in the library.

So far the changes have been successful. The program began June 1 — earlier than its previous start dates, which varied by community based on the end of the school year — and 7,858 kids and teens already have signed up. That’s more than 40 percent of last year’s enrollment for the entire summer.

Jeff Kleingartner, communications manager at Timberland, says the program is doing “really well,” especially since most area schools just let out for the year.

Despite the changes, many parts of the program will be familiar, including favorite events like FanatiCon, a Comic-Con-inspired event where teens dress as their favorite literary characters.

For those who prefer the traditional summer reading program, all of the on-site components are still available.

“They can still do the print program and not even look at a computer,” Jones said.

After all, the central focus is, as always, reading.

On average, students’ reading skills drop during the summer, with them losing one to two months of grade level equivalency, according to the Wallace Foundation, a national philanthropy that seeks to foster improvements in learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children. That means teachers often spend the beginning of the school year reteaching what kids knew just three months before.

Summer learning loss also disproportionately affects low-income students, contributing significantly to the achievement gap.

Reading programs like Timberland’s can help kids avoid learning loss or stagnation — what’s known among educators as the “summer slide.”

“If they don’t use it, they lose it,” Jones said. “We want to make sure that in the summer their brains stay engaged.”

Reading is beneficial for adults, too. Studies have found it can reduce stress and prevent mental decline — good news for the 499 adults who have signed up for the program so far.

The additions to Timberland’s summer reading program are part of the evolution of the system’s libraries. In addition to computers and printers, library patrons now have access to wi-fi, ebooks and an online language learning system.

Kleingartner hopes that combining well-loved programming with innovative ideas will help Timberland serve the wide variety of people who use the library — from babies to Millennials to senior citizens.

“We have to continue to evolve technologically to serve our patrons,” Kleingartner said. “We have to be there for all of them and everything in between.”

Anyone interested in participating in Timberland’s summer reading program can sign up online or at a Timberland Regional Library location. The program continues through Aug. 31.

This story was originally published July 4, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Summer reading programs aren’t just for kids anymore."