1. Summer Reading 2012 Staff Survey 47 staff responded

2. PROGRAMMING

4. TRAINING

5. Complementary Activities Workshop Workshop to share informal activities in the library that engage youth and families in literacy learning and promote a love of reading (May 15, RD) 34% of respondents attended Reasons for not attending include: – 68% not able to fit in schedule – 28% someone else from my library attended – 12% not interested – 2% other (reasons include: illness, not applicable, didn’t see blog post)

6. Complementary Activities Workshop (continued) 22 staff attended – 16 responded to survey. 81% were able to implement at least one activity idea at their library. 75% were inspired to create and implement a new activity. 94% found the training useful.

7. Suggestions for 2013 Summer Reading Trainings Book club training Increasing participation Reaching new audiences & outreach Reader’s advisory Programming ideas Drop-in program ideas Attracting book club facilitators Program logistics Summer learning/literacy Youth Program Quality and Assessment (YPQA) Engaging all staff Working with teen volunteers Additional complementary activities/passive programming training Local success/pilot project round-robin

8. SUMMER LEARNING

11. INCENTIVES & GIVEAWAYS

13. Rate the importance of the following items in supporting summer reading: Most important: Giveaway books 2 nd : Library card holders 3 rd : Pencils 4 th : Bookmarks Least important: Posters & stickers

15. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM STAFF

16. Patrons continue to request an acknowledgement that they reached a summer reading goal Lack of consistency between printed and online Best Book Ever forms Wish for free book for every Read. Write. Draw. participant Hunger Games was a popular book giveaway Confusion about what aspects of program supports summer learning Requests to distribute reading records (eliminated in 2012 due to limited funding) Request to make program more engaging Staff shortages makes program execution challenging Request that library card be required to win incentives Request for more high-profile author events Request for teen giveaways in addition to books

17. PLANNING FOR 2013

18. MELSA Strategic Planning Process MELSA partners agreed upon the following goals for summer reading: Develop a research-based message to deliver to caretakers Recognize the educational and recreational aspects of summer reading Create meaningful engagement between staff and families Develop focused relationships with underserved populations and with organizations that have similar educational missions

19. Next Steps for HCL Focused conversations with staff in fall 2012 Re-design of publicity materials to include research-based messaging Spring trainings that may incorporate: readers advisory; summer learning research; meaningful ways to engage families Evaluation tools Enhancements to KidLinks

20. For more information: Summer reading work group 2012 was: Kristina Darnell, Johannah Genett, Laura Krentz, Elizabeth Larson, Amy Luedtke, Bethany Wagenaar, Stephanie Wyman Article on the importance of summer readingimportance of summer reading