2011 Summer Reading Club "One World, Many Stories"

Wildlife Adventures

The summer reading club is free and open to children and teens from birth through high school seniors. Participants can sign up at their local branch to receive a reading log to keep track of their summer reading, or they can register and log their minutes online at fcpl.org/src.  Most of the events are designed for elementary school-age children, but many are intended for younger children and teens. We have something for everyone! Even if people don't join the summer reading club, they can still come to the events. With the cost of everything on the rise, free entertainment is definitely a bargain!

Children receive a prize from our treasure chest for each of their first four visits to the library. They can even take the challenge of logging an additional 600 minutes of reading online for one extra prize. When teens sign up they are automatically entered in a prize drawing to win an eReader or Flip camera. And after reading 12 hours they can visit their local branch for coupons from Rita's Italian Ice and Taco Bell.

Science at Middletown Branch Library

Those who join the club may read any book they choose. They can read books they own or books from the library. They can listen to audio books or playaways. Magazines, graphic novels, or the newspaper are great too. The goal of the summer reading club is to encourage young people to enjoy reading and books. Participants don't have to take tests on the books they read, and they don't have to read books they don't like. We want them to read exactly what they want to, because we want them to keep reading - not just during the summer but always. The club also reinforces reading skills that could be lost. Studies have shown that students who don't read during the summer can drop two grade levels by the fall in terms of reading comprehension. Participating in a summer reading club can prevent that from happening.
 

Nearly 10,000 children and teens joined last year, so the summer reading club is a busy time for the library staff. We spend all year planning, and we always have something new. This summer we have created a passport activity that kids and teens can complete by visiting each branch. Participants who receive a stamp from all eight branches by July 31st are eligible for a special prize drawing. The brand new Brunswick library will be an especially fun destination for families this summer!
 
Participants may join anytime between May 1st and August 13th. If children sign up by July 31st they will be eligible for a grand prize drawing. The summer reading program is completely funded by sponsors. Our sponsors PNC and the Friends of the Frederick County Public Libraries have provided for great program this summer. We could not have this program without them!
 

Natural Wonders of the Sea

Frederick County Public Libraries has eight branches throughout the county. In addition to the summer reading club, the library provides computers for use by the public, databases for research and plenty of books for reading. For more information, visit the website at fcpl.org.

Robyn Monaco