While recreational reading material was once an integral part of the academic library collection and librarians were seen as guides in reading development for students, this has not been the case in the last 50 years. Fiscal constraints have forced library professionals to make choices so that leisure reading material has not been viewed as a high…

This article reports on a research study designed to identify who participates in library-based summer reading clubs (SRCs) and why they elect to do so. To address this aim, questionnaires were completed by caregivers of 246 children upon enrollment to the SRC of a metropolitan library as well as 480 youth; the questionnaire was designed to learn…

A lack of implementation of classroom strategies can hinder elementary teachers' efforts to stay current in children's literature and recreational reading activities to promote reading for pleasure to students. Basal and literature-based curricula have been a solution to this problem, but their effectiveness is unclear as teachers are often faced…

"Urban Teens in the Library" is the perfect solution for the concerns and uncertainty many librarians face when supporting this group of patrons and students. From a team of experts who have researched the information habits and preferences of urban teens to build better and more effective school and public library programs, this book will show…

This document is the manual for the Arizona Reading Program (ARP) 2003 entitled "Lights, Camera, Read!" This theme spotlights books that were made into movies, and allows readers to appreciate favorite novels and stories that have progressed to the movie screen. The manual consists of eight sections. The Introduction includes welcome…

This manual provides suggestions for materials and projects to carry out a summer reading program for children based on a monster theme. The planning process outlined may be used as a "how-to" guide for developing summer reading programs on other themes as well. In addition to general guidelines, the manual provides information on the following…

The Texas Reading Club is designed to encourage youth to read for pleasure and to promote library usage.The theme for 2001 is "To the Library and Beyond!" and emphasizes ways in which a visit to the library leads young minds to explore world geography and cultures, nature and the environment, college and careers, computers, and great…

The Wisconsin Summer Library Program was developed to promote use of the library by children during the summer, to familiarize them with the resources of the public library, and to help them retain their reading skills over the summer. Different ways of interpreting the theme of the summer program for 1985 were suggested by librarians throughout…

The Texas Reading Club is designed to encourage youth to read for pleasure and to promote library usage.A statewide theme is selected each year that emphasizes ways in which reading expands young minds and encourages children to use their imaginations. The year 2000's theme, "Invent the future! READ!," emphasizes ways in which reading…

Designed for use by children's librarians in organizing and conducting a summer reading program for children 5 through 12 years of age, this "log book" contains suggestions for activities related to a seafaring theme together with lists of selected materials relevant to the particular activities. Samples of a press release and several…

This guide outlines the suggested program for 1988 for the Texas Reading Club, an activity sponsored cooperatively by local libraries and the Texas State Library to encourage children and their parents to read and use the library. The general theme, "Trailblazers, Stargazers," focuses on people who do new things, go new places,…

A questionnaire concerning reading was sent to Indiana middle, junior, and senior high schools in 1992 and a report was written at that time. The same questionnaire was sent to the same schools in 2003. During this period of time increased interest was shown throughout the nation in reading achievement and high school graduation rates. The purpose…

Funded by the Library Services and Construction Act, the 1997 Florida Library Youth Program is an extension of the successful and long-running Florida Summer Library Program to help librarians provide year-round programs for elementary school-aged children. The goal of the program is to introduce children to the library and its services, and to…

Recreational reading has proved its importance in the public library systems nationwide, as confirmed by circulation records and significant consideration in library budgets, indicating the need to develop systems that bring the book and the reader together in a systematic way. This paper seeks to define the operation of readers' advisory programs…

Developed for the Texas Reading Club, a program sponsored cooperatively by local libraries and the Texas State Library and designed to encourage children and their parents to read and use the library, this planning handbook is intended to help librarians and volunteers organize and manage a local reading club. The Texas Reading Club program is…