Research Purpose: Summer Reading is a Multnomah County Library program sponsored by The Library Foundation that entices children to read when school is not in session and encourages them to become lifelong library users. This program reaches children from birth through age 18. Parents and children track reading progress using a game that challenges any level reader. Summer Reading works by encouraging children to set goals, choose books, and reach reading milestones with the help of their parents or with library staff or volunteers. The program relies on the work of more than 600 volunteers each year—a majority of whom are teenagers.
Project Design: The current evaluation will examine whether or not school-based enrollment for all youth (including initial materials and sign-up procedures distributed by the students’ teachers before the end of the school year) would increase the number of youth participating in the Summer Reading program (compared to youth in schools where no such school-based enrollment occurs). Additionally, student attitudes toward reading and program participation will be assessed for both school-based enrollment students and comparison school students.
Funding Source: The Library Foundation
Start Date: March 2009
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