Calling all readers!
We invite you to participate in the 2012 Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) Summer Reading Programs which will be conducted from June 4 through July 7. Registration for the free five-week programs at public libraries begins on May 29. Contact your local public library for starting dates and guidelines.
Participants who visit their local library and read at least one book per week are eligible to receive a free weekly reading incentive, while supplies last. In addition to reading, the programs will feature storytelling performances by outstanding storytellers and artists. Performance programs will be announced at a later date and posted on the HSPLS website: www.librarieshawaii.org.
This summer, the HSPLS and the State Department of Education will begin a special collaboration focusing on increasing summer reading program participation by students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
"Multiple studies have proven beyond a doubt that children who continue reading during the summer perform better when they return to school in the fall, score higher on standardized tests, and are more active and engaged in the classroom," said State Librarian Richard Burns. "To achieve these results, we are encouraging teachers to contact their local public library prior to the summer break to schedule class visits, create and share reading lists, and instill excitement for reading and the Summer Reading Program among their students."
This year's programs and themes are:
* Children (infants to children entering grade 6 this fall) – "Dream Big READ!" will encourage young readers to revel in the wonders of night – dreams, lullabies, bedtime and campfire stories, as well as ghosts, nocturnal animals, and star-gazing!
* Teen (students entering grade 7 through 2012 high school graduates) – "Own the Night" will motivate teens to enjoy the wonders of night -dreams, mysteries, suspense and campfire stories, nocturnal animals, jobs and careers involving night-shifts, astronomy and star-gazing! Participating teens may also enter to win an Apple iPod Shuffle and other great prizes. For more information, contact your local library.
* Adult (patrons 18 and older) – "Between the Covers" will inspire adults to experience the joy of reading and celebrate the wonders of night – dreams, mysteries, adventure, westerns, science fiction, romance, jobs and careers involving night-shifts, astronomy, and star-gazing!
Additional Corporate sponsors as of May 9 include American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, Candlewick Press, and Diamond Bakery Co., Ltd..
Performances featuring artists from the Statewide Cultural Extension Program are co-sponsored by the University of Hawaii's Outreach College, Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information, please visit www.librarieshawaii.org or call your local library.
