Summer Library Program

Maryland public libraries offer programs, events, and materials for children, teens, and adults year-round. However, Summer Library Programs are designed to encourage elementary-aged and teenaged children to keep reading, engaging, and learning over the summer vacation. Preventing the "summer slide" is the main objective of the Maryland Libraries' Summer Learning Programs. For many, the public library is the only community space available during the summer months where they can access FREE educational, entertaining, cultural, and nutritional activities and programs.

This video was produced by Baltimore County Public Library.

Importance of Summer Reading (studies)

Maryland Public Libraries participate in a statewide, annual summer reading program as part of the Collaborative Summer Library Program consortium (CSLP), individualized by county. Library summer reading programs help Maryland students maintain or improve grade‐level reading proﬁciency during the summer months when school is not in session. Multiple research studies, such as The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap (2010) have proven that library programs are an excellent way to achieve this goal.

Maryland Summer Reading Stats

Maryland Public Libraries strive to foster a love of reading and learning for all ages through their summer reading programs. Maryland libraries have seen steady participation in their summer reading programs during the last several years. In addition to youth programs, most library systems also offered adult summer reading programs, encouraging lifelong learning, a sustained love of reading, and family engagement for those adults who participated in the library program with their children.

Over 500,000 Maryland youth attended library summer programming in 2019. Public libraries reached approximately 147,00 youth through outreach programs in their communities through a variety of community partnerships, including farmer’s markets, community fairs, health clinics, faith-based organizations, and early childcare providers. This outreach programming includes Food in the Summer Programs: over 30,000 meals were served to children in Maryland libraries this summer. Strong participation by youth in summer reading programs and other library summer programming, as well as library outreach programs, are strong indicators of the avoidance of summer slide and sustained learning readiness in preparation for the next school year.

Summer Reading programs in Maryland

Partnerships with the Baltimore Orioles and the Maryland Science Center enhance the summer reading program, along with other community partners that oﬀer incentives to participants or collaborate in creative summer program oﬀerings in art, STEM, music, and early literacy.

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