On Your Mark, Get Set, READ!

Summertime is a great time to get out and get active. This summer, librarians around New Hampshire are encouraging people of all ages to make sure their reading skills stay in shape as well.

As part of this year’s national Collaborative Summer Library Program theme “On Your Mark, Get Set, READ!” young readers throughout New Hampshire will be visiting their public libraries to check out and read books about sports, fitness and health in their many forms.

Children’s librarians across New Hampshire have embraced the fitness theme and have run with it, creating special summertime programs that focus on a wide range of activities, from the Olympics to nutrition to yoga. Performers from the State Library’s “Kids, Books and the Arts” roster will hold special events at libraries throughout the state.

The importance of summer reading has been known for more than a century. Students who read at least six books during the summer have been found to maintain or improve their reading skills, while those who do not read during the summer can lose a full grade level.

To participate in “On Your Mark, Get Set, READ!” families should visit their local public library. Most libraries ask children to register and then to keep track of how many books they read during the summer months or how much time they spend reading. Participants may also choose to read whichever books they want, even if they’re not related to this year’s theme.

In keeping with the fitness theme, some libraries are offering a summer reading program for teens, “Get in the Game”; the theme for adult readers is “Exercise Your Mind.”