Summer Reading: Keep your kids active over school break

Oceans of Possibilities

Check out the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s (CSLP’s) 2021 PSA.

Children in BoatFind Summer Reading Program events happening at a library near you on our library events calendar or follow us on Facebook!

Summer Reading at New York Libraries is an annual program that brings children and families into public libraries for reading and activities. Over 1.1 million young people from pre-K to teens participated in Summer Reading at New York Libraries in 2021.

You and your children are invited to join your library’s Summer Reading program and attend the fun events they are planning for children of all ages. This summer’s theme, “Oceans of Possibilities” explores all kinds of topics.

The public libraries care about your children and have planned programs to keep them reading and learning all summer. Whether you keep track of the amount of time your children spend reading or the number of books they have read this summer, children who join the Summer Reading program keep their minds active and enter school in the fall ready to learn and ready to succeed.

Child on StarfishAnd remember, you are your child’s first teacher. Look at picture books with your younger children and point out people, animals, and objects in the pictures. Read to your children and ask them to read to you. Your librarian will be happy to help you find books that are just right. We hope that you and your family enjoy looking at books and reading. Together, you can discover the treasures of your library.

Summer Reading at New York Libraries – New York’s site that contains a ton of summer reading-related materials including reading lists for various age groups.

New York State Senate’s Summer Reading Program – NY Reads – Parents and guardians from across New York State use this site to track their children’s summer reading activity and share that progress with friends, family, and other parents.

For Parents
  • First Book
    A nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need. Since their founding in 1992, First Book has distributed more than 160 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families.
  • Summer Reading at New York Libraries
    The one-stop shop for everything Summer Readable for kids and teens, parents, educators, and librarians! Kids and teens will enjoy checking out easy crafts while parents will find the resource links an invaluable help to stopping the summer learning slide. You'll be able to find their blog and Tumblr for even more summer reading fun and info.
  • Bedtime Math
    The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) partnered with Bedtime Math for the 2014 "Fizz! Boom! Read!" summer reading program to get kids fired up about numbers. The website was established to provide a fun daily math problem for children in elementary school and aims to help kids love math like “playtime or dessert.” Get the math problem of the day email, or download the free app!
  • DaybyDayNY
    The DaybyDayNY is an online virtual calendar designed for families with young children to encourage a love of books and learning that will last a lifetime. The New York State Library is pleased to announce that DaybyDayNY.org has been updated for 2016. Please visit the site and view the “One More Story” ebook, links to entertaining arts and crafts, directions and locations of museums, and helpful information on living a healthy life style. Also be sure to visit the newly redesigned (and recently fully translated) Spanish language page.
    DaybyDayNY.org is an important component of Ready to Read at New York Libraries, a statewide program from the New York State Library designed to help library staff further enhance and expand their early literacy services and programs.
    DayByDayNY has also added a new “One More Story” list for 2016. The list offers a great title to read with your children for every day of the year. You can use this list to find books to check out from your library or see what’s coming next as a free read-along title. Take a look at their “Read With Me” page for more online stories and resources, too.
    Fun Museums in NY has a great map featuring some of the best places for you and your family to visit in each county of New York. When you hover your mouse over any of counties, you’ll find information and direct links to museums, arts centers, historic sites, and more!
For Library Staff and Teachers
  • First Book
    A nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need. Since their founding in 1992, First Book has distributed more than 160 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families.
  • Program Presenters
    A list of presenters that may be available in Clinton, Essex, and/or Franklin County for programs and events. This list is collected by the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System staff and member libraries.
  • Performers and Programs
    A statewide collaboration of the Public Library Systems in New York produce a database of entertaining and educational programs available in the entire state. They split it into different regions, with the link above leading directly to the North Country.
  • Summer Reading at New York Libraries
    The one-stop shop for everything Summer Readable for kids and teens, parents, educators and librarians! Kids and teens will enjoy checking out easy crafts while parents will find the resource links an invaluable help to stopping the summer learning slide. You'll be able to find their blog and Tumblr for even more summer reading fun and info.
  • L&E Resources
    Libraries can partner with their local Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Program to present any of the lessons being offered and Hunger Solutions New York (HSNY). HSNY features the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally funded program that enables qualified organizations – including public libraries – to serve free meals to kids and teens in low-income areas.
  • Bedtime Math
    The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) partnered with Bedtime Math for the 2014 "Fizz! Boom! Read!" summer reading program to get kids fired up about numbers. The website was established to provide a fun daily math problem for children in elementary school and aims to help kids love math like “playtime or dessert.” Get the math problem of the day email, or download the free app!
  • DaybyDayNY
    The DaybyDayNY is an online virtual calendar designed for families with young children to encourage a love of books and learning that will last a lifetime. The New York State Library is pleased to announce that DaybyDayNY.org has been updated for 2016. Please visit the site and view the “One More Story” ebook, links to entertaining arts and crafts, directions and locations of museums, and helpful information on living a healthy life style. Also be sure to visit the newly redesigned (and recently fully translated) Spanish language page.
    DaybyDayNY.org is an important component of Ready to Read at New York Libraries, a statewide program from the New York State Library designed to help library staff further enhance and expand their early literacy services and programs.
    DayByDayNY has also added a new “One More Story” list for 2016. The list offers a great title to read with your children for every day of the year. You can use this list to find books to check out from your library or see what’s coming next as a free read-along title. Take a look at their “Read With Me” page for more online stories and resources, too.
    Fun Museums in NY has a great map featuring some of the best places for you and your family to visit in each county of New York. When you hover your mouse over any of counties, you’ll find information and direct links to museums, arts centers, historic sites, and more!
  • Ten Tips for School Collaboration
    A quick presentation designed by the staff a North Country Library System in PDF format.
  • The Importance of Summer Reading: Public Library Summer Reading Programs and Learning
    A document showcasing the impact of Summer Reading by Karen Balsen, Library Development Specialist and Douglas Moore, Graduate Assistant of the New York State Library.
  • Public Libraries and Effective Summer Learning: Opportunities for Assessment
    A document assembled by The Urban Libraries Council (ULC), The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Metropolitan Group (MG), and The National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) on tactics to assess summer activities to improve service. A more concise version is also available.
  • How CSLP can help you make friends at school!
    CSLP has posted a short tutorial on partnering with schools on Summer Reading so that you can begin thinking and talking about collaborations for next year.
  • Public Partners
    An article by Lisa Peet of Library Journal on public library/school partnerships from April 15, 2017.
  • Letter to Schools
    A template letter for your library to send to local school(s).
  • Community Summer Reading Projects
    Maureen Scholosser's blog is full of easy ideas that will engage learners of all ages during the busy summer months.
  • AASL Best Tools for Teaching and Learning
    Recognized for their exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learning by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
Early Literacy Resources