By Wendy Campbell
Rowan Public Library

Rowan Public Library will offer the 2024 summer reading program: Adventure Begins at The Library following a well-established tradition of storytimes, live performances, unique events for children, teens, and adults, and reading incentives for all ages. The aim of the summer reading program is to promote reading. In fact, summer reading programs were created to encourage children to read during the summer. The library continues that tradition and a longstanding local tradition to bring the summer reading experience to local camps as well.

Library users and community members may not be aware of these partnerships that make it possible for children attending local camps to experience the summer reading program. The library works with organizations serving preschoolers through sixth grade and has enjoyed building relationships with community leaders who work with children. Local camps provide fun educational opportunities for children and a safe environment to build social skills. The library is a natural partner for camp groups because both share common goals to mix fun and learning together.

By partnering with the library, camps add value to their offerings and maximize community resources. The library and camp partnership consists of a weekly library performance, a camp issued library card for weekly checkouts (required), and a shared commitment to foster a love of reading with daily reading time for campers, and weekly submission of camp reading logs (required). The partnership benefits the library as well helping the library to succeed in its mission to support the lifelong learning for all people. Moreover, the library makes a positive impact on the community reaching a broader audience to share the available resources online and in person at the library.

The library is reaching out to established camp partners and new camps interested in participating in the Camp Group Summer Reading Program. The library invites camp directors to reach out if they would like to participate in the 2024 Summer Reading Program: Adventure Begins at The Library. The library will be registering camps through mid-May and is eager to form new partnerships with recent camp start-ups. For more information or to request a camp group registration packet, please contact the Youth Services Supervisor at 704-216-8258 or by email at Wendy.Campbell@rowancountync.gov.

Wendy Campbell is youth services supervisor at the Rowan Public Library.