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Summer Reading Program

The Vermont Department of Libraries supports the mission of local public libraries to provide quality programming for children, teens, and families.

The Department sponsors an annual Summer Reading Program available to all Vermont public libraries to foster summer reading for youth of all ages. The Program encourages a love of reading, introduces new books and authors to expand children and teen leisure reading choices, and works to prevent the loss of reading skills during the summer months (the “summer slide”) when youth are out of school.

The Department is a member of the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), a nation-wide organization collaborating with libraries to create and present inclusive literacy-based programs that are enjoyable for all ages.  Each year CSLP shares this reproducible program with member organizations. The program features a unified theme, professional support services, and a rich variety of program and promotional materials and resources. Through the Department's membership, Vermont public libraries access CSLP's Summer Reading Program.

NEW: 2024 Summer Reading Program Reporting

The summer program reporting form opens at the end of August and is due Friday, November 15, 2024. Reporting is mandatory for all libraries that received the 2024 Summer Programming Grant of $300 and/or the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) summer reading materials from the Department of Libraries. We would also like to hear from libraries that offered a summer reading program but did not use the CSLP theme and chose not to apply for grant funding from the Department. Libraries can use the Summer Programming Grant Report and Summer Reading Survey Preview to begin gathering information to prepare for filling out the form.

Summer Reading Program Reporting Form 

2024 Summer Reading Program: Adventure Begins at Your Library

CSLP theme banner

Resources

Beanstack Summer Reading Challenge Staff Preview

The staff preview is a duplicated version of what will be offered to patrons. It guides users through how to participate in the challenge by logging their reading minutes and completing activity challenges to earn badges.

Department Information Session

Vermont Department of Libraries Summer Reading 2024 Information Session (Recorded 3/15/24 | YouTube | 1 hour, 57 minutes)
Jonathan Clark the Department's Library Consultant for Children and Teen Services presented this overview of summer program resources, featuring:

  • Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) 2024 Theme and Overview | Dawn Krause, Executive Director, CSLP
  • Overview of Smokey Bear Reading Challenge | Susan Cox, Conservation Education Coordinator, U.S. Forest Service Eastern Region
  • Summer Meal Programs | Tim Morgan, Program Data and Child Nutrition Manager, Hunger Free Vermont
  • Beanstack Overview | Rebekah Garrety, Implementation and Library Success Management Team Lead, Beanstack
  • Overview of Summer Resources at the ABLE Library & The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), Library of Congress, | Karen Gravlin, Director of ABLE Library, Consultant for Inclusive Services, Vermont Department of Libraries

CSLP Symposium

CSLP Summer Symposium webpage featuring videos, slides, and handouts from the Symposium, held December 7, 2023 with a thorough overview of CSLP's 2024 Adventure Begins at Your Library materials, as well as programming, marketing ideas, and inspiration.    

Grants

In 2024, the Department offered grants of $300 through the Smith Fund to support Vermont public library summer reading programs. The grant application closed March 17, 2024. More information can be found on the Summer Programming Grants page.

    Programming Manual Access

    Through the Department's CSLP membership, Vermont public libraries have access to the 2024 Adventure Begins at Your Library programming manual featuring resources, graphics, book lists and more. Instructions to access the manual:

    1. Request the Programming Manual access code by emailing Jonathan Clark the Department's Library Consultant for Children and Teen Services. Please do not share this code or post it in a publicly accessible location.
    2. Visit the CSLP website: www.cslpreads.org.
    3. Hover over the Manual Downloads button located on the menu bar. 
    4. From the drop down-menu, select 2024 Adventure Begins at Your Library.
    5. At the prompt, enter the access code. 

    Promotional Materials 

    The Department offers CSLP summer reading program incentives and promotional materials each year to all Vermont public libraries. Ordering is closed for 2024 materials.

      Additional Resources

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