Summer Reading Program

Post Survey

If your child participated in the 2023 Summer Reading Program, we want to know about it. Click the link below to be taken to a short questionnaire about what you did this Summer, how you liked it, and how we could improve.

 

Summer Reading 2023 Post Survey

Earn Prizes for Reading

Thanks for another great Summer! Hope you saved your Wild Bucks!

Programs and Events

We had so many fun activities happening at the library this summer!

How to Sign Up

Registration for the 2024 Summer Reading Program will begin May 2024. Check back later for more details.

 For more information, email [email protected] or call 610-759-4932 x.3

Funding

An abundance of the MLNV’s spring and summer programs and incentives for all ages was made possible by a generous grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, Rotary District 7430, and the Nazareth Rotary Club. These programs are part of the library’s PA Forward Financial Literacy programming.

The library was pleased to offer a “Financial Literacy Academy,” a series of six finance-related workshops about retirement savings, credit scores, credit cards, the stock market and investing, with Professor Mark Koscinski of Moravian University and Professor Deanna Hammarsten of Northampton Community College. The classes were open to all young adults and interested adults.  Patron attendees received a free budgeting planner, and young adult attendees were entered into a raffle to win a set of SONY headphones and laptop backpack.

FINRA also funded the Teen Advisory Board’s recent Tory Prison Coffeehouse on April 19th and the teens’ Oregon Trail live action game.

The children’s summer reading program, “Animalia!,” featured eight action-packed weeks of learning about animals and financial literacy. The library’s younger patrons received a paintable ceramic animal bank kit (while supplies lasted) and were invited to a special decorating session and launch of the “Creative Critters Craft Club.” Community members judged the Piggy Bank Pageant, and patrons saved and stored the Wild Bucks they earned throughout the summer for independent reading and completing various literacy-based and financial-themed activities. FINRA and the Rotary funded the prizes in the library’s Wild Mart, from animal Squishmallows to binoculars to octopus kites to birdhouses to bug catching kits (each marked with a FINRA sticker), as well as a host of special events, including a children’s concert with Lolly Hopwood, “Animal Adaptations” talk by Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, 4-H presentations, and author talks by Victoria Jamieson and Elvira Woodruff–among many others. Young patrons learned to budget and save in a fun, exciting way.

Marketing efforts for all of the above, as well as several financial-related books for the library’s collection, some salary expenditures, and overhead costs, were also generously paid for by the FINRA grant.

Remaining funding may be used for additional financial literacy programs in fall 2023.

To learn more about FINRA and the Nazareth Rotary Club, follow these links:  https://www.finra.org/about

https://rotarydistrict7430.org/clubinfo/nazareth

 

 

Sponsors

Rotary Club of Nazareth

The Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity’s Summer Reading Program 2023 was made possible in part by a generous donation from the Rotary Club of Nazareth.

Program Partners and Sponsors

Thank you to the following organizations for their in-kind donations:

• Aquatopia at Camelback Resorts
• Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom
• Fidelity Bank
• Freefall Trampoline Park
• Just Born
• Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
• The Lehigh Valley Zoo
• Rita’s Italian Ice & Custard of Nazareth
• Six Flags Great Adventure
• Tractor Supply Company

Thank you to our program partners:

• Nazareth Area School District
• Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center
• Klein Farms
• Wingate Farm
• The Seeing Eye
• EQUI-librium
• Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center
• The Audobon Society of the Lehigh Valley
• Because of a Dog
• The Center for Animal Health and Welfare
• 4-H of Nazareth

Thank you to the following individuals who volunteered their time and talent with us this summer:

• Christian Bensing
• Doug Burton
• Timothy Feather
• Patrick McIvor
• Victoria Jamieson
• Jodie Santore
• Elvira Woodruff

FAQs

Who can sign up for the Summer Reading Program?

Children ages 2 – 12 with a valid MLNV library card can sign up to participate in the Summer Reading Program to earn prizes.

Children who are Access patrons, meaning Nazareth is not their home library but they have an orange Nazareth card, may also register for Summer Reading. If the child is not old enough to receive a library card at their home library, but their parent/guardian has an up-to-date card from both their home library and Nazareth, they are still eligible to register for Summer Reading. Children who are old enough to receive a card at their home library must do so.

We have programs for children of all ages, from babies to teenagers.

Teens (ages 12-18) and adults (ages 18+) can also sign up to earn prizes of their own by stopping by the front desk to pick up a reading tracker.

When is the Summer Reading Program?

The 2024 Summer Reading Program will begin in June and end in August.

When and how do I sign up?

Registration for the 2024 Summer Reading Program will begin May 2024.

Children must have a valid MLNV library card. Library cards are available for free at the front desk and are available immediately. You can also sign up for a card online and come to the library to pick it up. Find out more about membership eligibility HERE.

 

Is the Summer Reading Program free?

Yes! The Summer Reading Program is made free for all participants by the generous support of our sponsors.

Why is summer reading important?

Summer reading programs are an affordable, effective way to keep children’s emerging reading skills sharp. Summer reading programs are also fun and engaging for young people!

From the American Library Association’s website: “Numerous studies have shown that summer programs help ensure that school children retain reading and learning skills over the summer recess.” Read more HERE.

I have a question that isn't listed here. How can I reach out?

You can contact our Children’s Librarian, Berry, with any questions about the Summer Reading Program by emailing her at [email protected]. Alternatively, you can call the library children’s department at 610.759.4932 (option 3).