The school year is over and that means it’s almost time for Amarillo Public Library’s Summer Reading Club—a cherished summer resource for more than 75 years!

In addition to fun and free programs for readers of all ages, SRC offers participants the chance to earn prizes by developing a habit of daily reading.

APL Youth Coordinator Melody Boren says SRC is especially important to help kids fight the summer slide. “The research is clear that school-age kids lose educational ground over the summer, but data also show that students who read and participate in brain stimulating activities during the break are able to retain their school year reading skills and can even return to school in the fall having gained ground over the summer.”

Decades of research shows that library summer reading programs prevent summer learning loss and even lead to gains.

• Positive effects do not differ by gender, English proficiency, or economic status.
• Participants outperform nonparticipants on tests across all measures and grades (K–8).
• Repeat participants benefit the most from participation in summer reading programs.

Boren adds that SRC includes kids of all ages—including infants and toddlers. “No one is ever too young for the Summer Reading Club! Participants ages birth through 3 receive a rubber ducky when they sign up—along with an early literacy log of activities for children and caregivers to do together each week of the program.”

You’re also never too old for the Summer Reading Club, which includes programs and prizes for adults and teens as well as children. Director of Library Services Amanda Barrera says adults are included because reading is beneficial at every age. “Studies demonstrate that regular reading provides clear benefits to physical, mental, and emotional health. For people who have gotten out of the practice of reading, we hope that SRC can help them create a new healthy habit.”

Participants can sign up for SRC at any Amarillo Public Library location starting June 1 and receive a complete calendar of events and a reading log to track daily reading and earn a prize for reading at least 30 days. The prize for kids is a brand new book. Adults and teens can earn a voucher for a free bag of books at the Friends of the Amarillo Public Library book sale.

For more information, contact Stacy Clopton at 806-378-3051 or Stacy.Clopton@amarillolibrary.org.