Summer Reading Program: Yearly Themed Resources

Join your neighbors for the second annual New England Summer Summit! Library staff throughout New England are invited to this free, virtual event focused on all things summer. With sessions for children's, teen, and adult services all library staff involved in planning for summer programming are encouraged to participate.

OLIS provides public libraries with an iREAD Resource Guide to support library staff in motivating children, young adults, and adults to read and learn. If the SRP contact at your library has not received information about accessing the 2023 guide contact Danielle Margarida prior to June 1, 2023. The guide will not be available for download after June 1, 2023.

Program Development

Programming development resources can be found  in Chapter 2 (folder 01 2023 Resource Guide PDF files, file name 02_2023_Program Development_pgs 65_104.pdf).

• Part of the Whole: Embedded Librarianship in Public Libraries by Jennifer Robertson, pg. 77
• Where Is Your Quiet Area?: Helping Patrons Unplug from a Plugged-In World by Kim Tipton, pg. 89
• Summer Scares: A Chilling Program for All Ages of Readers by Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump, pg. 96

Programming Ideas

Programming ideas can be found  in Chapter 3 (folder 01 2023 Resource Guide PDF files, file name 3_2023_Programming_pgs 105-156.pdf).

• Balloon Word Scramble, pg. 109
• DIY Smashbooks, pg. 117. Smash books are a type of journal that includes one’s interests.
• I Can Sell That!, pg. 125. Use your voice to persuade others!
• LEGO-fy Yourself!, pg. 130. Participants turn themselves into a LEGO figurine.
• Magnetic Poetry Kits, pg. 132.
• Pant Chip Poetry, pg. 136. Describe a color by writing a metaphor and three similes.
• Story Cubes, pg. 141. Start a storytelling circle with Rory’s Story Cubes.
• Who's That Voice? Quiz, pg. 150. Match the performer to the character they play or the product they endorse.
• Write a Short (6 Words) or Very Short (3 Words) Story Contest, pg. 154

Arts, Crafts, DIY, and Maker Projects

Arts & crafts resources can be found  in Chapter 4 (folder 01 2023 Resource Guide PDF files, file name 04_2023_ArtsCraftsDIYMaker_pgs 229-270.pdf).

• Craft Stick Folding Card Craft, pg. 237
• DIY Felt Pronoun Pins, pg. 239
• Empower Poster, pg. 244
• Rain Sticks, pg. 262
• Silhouette Art, pg. 262
• Time Capsule, pg. 268

iREAD has also developed iREAD 2023: Find Your Voice! Fonts Flier that you can use as reference when creating marketing materials and announcements. The flier is also posted on the iREAD website help page. Some of the original fonts that you see on iREAD posters were hand drawn by the illustrators and we have done our best to find the font that is as close as possible to what you see on posters.
Please keep in mind that these websites are not tested or endorsed by iREAD.