When school is not in session, children are at special risk for losing reading skills.  National research shows that students can lose as much as four months of academic progress in a single summer. By the time a child is in middle school, summer reading loss can accumulate to a critical two-year gap. It’s a serious and widespread problem; by 10th grade, only half – 50% – of Oregon's public school students read at grade level.

For many children, reading over the summer makes the difference between returning to school ready to learn and move forward, or falling behind.

Building lifelong literacy with Summer Reading

Multnomah County Library's Summer Reading program works to sustain and build reading skills over the summer months. It helps young people develop a love of reading, making it easy to make books a part of their everyday lives. 

But Summer Reading is not just fun and games.  Findings by literacy experts show that independent, self-directed reading – reading done outside of school assignments, not with a volunteer, but solely because the child wants to – is vital to developing literacy skills that will serve him or her over a lifetime.

Summer Reading provides just that kind of skill-building experience.  Young readers set goals, choose books and reach reading milestones set with their own parents, Library staff or volunteers.  The program relies on the work of more than 500 volunteers each year, a majority of whom are teenagers and graduates of Summer Reading.

Summer Reading makes a difference

A survey of more than 1,000 parents in 2005 shows the program is making a measurable difference.  Parents say because of Summer Reading, their children read more and are better at it.  Nine out of ten parents report improvement in their child's reading skills thanks to Summer Reading, and parents of children who struggle with reading see the most positive difference.

In Summer 2005, more than 52,000 children participated in the Library’s Summer Reading program, which has won nationwide recognition as one of the country’s most active and successful programs of its kind.

Support young readers – attend the Gala!

Each spring, The Library Foundation hosts an exciting Gala event to raise the funds needed for Summer Reading. Lend your support and join the festivities! Our 10th Annual Gala will be held on April 8th, 2006 – buy your ticket today!

“What makes this Summer Reading program stand head and shoulders above the rest is the support of The Library Foundation and program sponsors. No other county has such a comprehensive and thorough reading program that meets the needs of each child, regardless of his or her age.”

Katie O’Dell, Reading Promotions Coordinator for Multnomah County Library