As libraries plan for summer reading programs, it’s great to find ways to engage with patrons and gain the interest of folks who may not be regular library users. The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) has content to help you plan and execute creative programs for all ages this summer.

Can you find more participants?

"Going the Extra Mile" in School Library Journal describes several outreach programs across the country that aim to offer literacy programming and summer reading outside of the library. These types of programs can be beneficial to folks in rural areas who lack transportation, as well as in urban areas where libraries may not be walkable or open during hours that allow access for certain sectors of the community.

Are your prizes sustainable?

There are always summer reading prize questions that come through library listservs every year. "A Greener Way to Read: Summer Reading Program Helps the Community—and the Earth" in American Libraries tackles this question. Rather than small, individual prizes, the authors focus on giving away books and creating a community goal that everyone can be excited about achieving. Since the inception of these changes, the community has achieved its reading goal and planted trees, restored habitats, installed solar panels, and donated to animal shelters, food banks, and a parks foundation. In addition, participation in the program has grown by more than double! Making goals larger and more meaningful is just one way to draw in new patrons.

Looking for ways to expand your reach?

Working together with community organizations and other institutions may be the perfect way to bring summer reading to a wider audience. Children’s Services: Partnerships for Success in the eBook Academic Collection provides ideas for working with others in the community to take library programming to another level. You might have access to a museum, history center, college/university, or local park service and can use the ideas in this book to enhance your summer plans.

Whether it’s taking story hour to a local daycare or senior center, partnering with an excavating company to show off their fleet of trucks, or working with local artists and photographers to teach new skills and put on an art show, use the articles and eBooks in MeL to find endless possibilities for expanding summer programming throughout every community in Michigan. For additional ideas, you can view a webinar that links the 2025 CSLP summer reading program to the MeL eResources. 

If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact [email protected] for help.