S/O (sorta) - Children's Summer Reading Program & What I Overheard at the Library

[SJ.]

Yesterday at the library I overheard a mom speaking to her son (about 11-12 yrs) about our summer reading program.  She exclaimed that she just found out that audiobooks count for the summer reading program so the books they listened to on their recent road trip counted.  The son then calculated that one of the books was 5 hours and the mom said that with the other one it would probably complete the entire program (!).  

 

I couldn't help but cringe a little thinking about an upper elementary kid completing the entire summer reading program, which spans two months, by listening to two audiobooks on a road trip without reading a single book.  In my family I require my boys to read themselves for the program though they could count 20 minutes of me reading aloud (or an audiobook) as a way to fill in a space.  This is because I know my boys and if read alouds counted that is all they would want to do, especially my youngest.  

 

Yes, yes, it's true I do not know this other family nor do I know if the boy has any reading challenges but I am surprised you wouldn't ask an elementary child+ to do at least some of the reading on their own.

 

So with that said i am curious what your children's reading program is like at your local library and if your family participates...?

 

 

[SJ.]

Our summer reading program for children spans two months (June 1 - July 31).  There are three prizes awarded  and you must fill in nine spaces on the chart to receive each of the prizes with twenty seven spaces total.  To fill in a space you must read for 20 minutes or for every two picture books read to you (according to the chart), I believe being read to for 20 minutes counts also as well as younger children reading two easy readers.  The prizes are 1. a coupon sheet (with pretty good coupons for kids, no purchase necessary), 2. something from the treasure chest (cheap junk that kids love), and 3.  a book.  

[JennW in SoCal]

Our summer reading programs were always based on the number of books completed and not the number of hours spent reading.  The summer that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out we were so very excited it could count as 2 books as it is so long!   I seem to remember that the basic prize level was for 10 (or 15?) books, but my kids always completed 50 for the better prizes such as free admission to the science museum and a "messy ice cream sundae" from a local restaurant.  I also seem to remember that the middle school reading program required fewer books as it was meant to encourage students to read meatier works.

 

But, gee, for the summer reading program I counted read alouds as well as audiobooks in addition to books they read to themselves.  I probably even did so for the middle school program as I read aloud to my boys all the way through high school.  Is that cringe worthy?

 

Audiobooks are very popular in my house, both with me and my dh and with my now college age and college grad boys.  I know many folk don't agree that it is the same as "reading" but it is how we do much of our reading for pleasure, and it was an integral part of our homeschool.  Young students can listen to and appreciate material that is far beyond their reading level and I, as an adult, appreciate what a good narrator brings to a novel.  I hear every word, hear how the author crafted the story and describes the scene -- things that I tend to rush past as I read the print version.

 

So a book listened to in the car? Of course it should count.  It might have been an excellent literary work.  It might have provoked some lively discussions -- I know they always did on our long drives.

[SJ.]

 

But, gee, for the summer reading program I counted read alouds as well as audiobooks in addition to books they read to themselves.  I probably even did so for the middle school program as I read aloud to my boys all the way through high school.  Is that cringe worthy?

 

 

 

Nope, not cringe worthy at all.  It was the attitude of - "Gee son, you don't have to read at all and you still get all the prizes!!!" that was a bit cringe worthy but like I said I don't know this family's circumstances.  Perhaps it was a big deal that the boy listened to the audiobooks.  I love audiobooks and so do my boys.  As I mentioned in my first post the only reason I don't count them, nor read alouds, in our home for the library reading program is because it would set a precedence and my boys wouldn't be as excited to read over the summer (particularly my youngest).

 

It sounds like your library's reading program has some great incentives for reading a lot over the summer.

 

ETA: My boys are extra excited to read for the summer reading program.  My oldest likes to read but not my youngest, it is a great incentive to get them excited about reading.

[Word Nerd]

Our library's summer reading program goals are so minimal (6 hours) that we participate almost as an afterthought. They'll read much more in the summer than we'll track for the library (which is ideal IMHO, as I don't want all of their reading tied to external rewards), so I wouldn't have any issue with counting audiobooks or read-alouds. How other families handle it is their business. It's all based on the honor system anyway.

 

Incidentally, I count the audiobooks I listen to while commuting or traveling on my Goodreads annual list of books read, along with all the ebooks and paper books I read.

[Julie Smith]

Our library has a little passport book. On your first day you sign up you get the passport book. After that every day you visit you get a sticker and a ballot. On three of those visists you also get a prize. (A free mini pizza, a spinning toy, a frisbee). You also get a ballot to win one of the 6 grand prizes. Once you complete the nine stickers you recieve just a ballot for every visit. 

 

You are suppose to write down what you read in your passport book. But they really just count visits to the library. So technically you can just visit the library several times in the summer to complete the program. But I personally don't know anyone who has done that. 

 

For my boys my rule is they have to read a chapter to get your sticker. Eldest and I share read a Percy Jackson (now taking turns at pages) so he reads two chapters. Youngest and I struggle through a A to Z mystery book. 

 

I also read out loud a lot and Youngest is listening to an audio book by himself, and both boys listen to each Percy Jackson book when Eldest is done reading it. In total I think both boys spend almost 2 hours a day with books. (Me reading, Dh reading, Listening to an audio book, reading themselves)

 

[SJ.]

 

Incidentally, I count the audiobooks I listen to while commuting or traveling on my Goodreads annual list of books read, along with all the ebooks and paper books I read.

 

So do I, seriously I don't have a problem with audiobooks, I happen to really enjoy them.  :)

 

Ours is six hours too in twenty minute increments filled out on a chart.

[Dmmetler]

Ours is a prize for each week that you've read at least one hour (or listened at least 1 hour-I think for little ones it's a minimum number of picture books/Easy readers), plus a prize at 10 and 20 books (a book at 10, a backpack at 20), and being entered in the drawing for every 10 books after that for big prizes.

 

My rule is that DD has to write it down herself for it to count-I'm not going to do so. Since she hates to write, the last three summers she's recorded enough to get the free book in the first week, but after that, only recorded the minimum each week to get the free ice cream, sticker, pencil, or whatever the give away is. 

 

 

[LostSurprise]

I have less problem with the audiobooks then with the kids who get a form/several forms and fill it out while in line for several entries. I know they're just making it all up. 

 

Go audiobooks, at least they got something out of it. 

[8circles]

IDK. It sounds like the reading program requirements are pretty minimal anyway, I wouldn't be too concerned about fulfilling it with only audio books. My kids read a lot. A. lot. As in hours a day, every day, actual reading - not audio books. But I could see myself saying the same thing to one of my kids.

[Sherry in OH]

Ours is based on the number of days the child reads.  The child is to color a square each day that he/she reads for at least 15 minutes.  Listening to someone else read also counts.  Prizes are awarded for 20, 40, and 60 days of reading.   

 

In previous years, the children colored a square for every 15-20 minutes of reading.  The new requirements supposedly are a result of too many children completing the program in the first week or so of summer.

[dakarimom5]

Our library program is too easy. You get to pick the amount of books, no minimum. It seems to just get easier and easier every year. It makes me sad.

[Kathryn]

Ours is divided into listeners (for pre-readers) and readers. There are four levels of prizes. Each level is attained after listening for two hours or reading for four hours. You can only get one level per week. So, DS3 must listen to eight total hours to get all four levels and DS7 must read for 16 total hours to get all four levels.

[Stacia]

I have to say that I agree w/ you a on the 'cringe-worthy' statement.

 

Imo, listening to audiobooks vs. reading a print version of a book are two different things & require different skill sets. Sure, the skill sets are complementary, but still different. As the parent, I would have probably insisted my dc spend most of the reading devoted to print reading w/ a smaller portion being allowed for audiobooks (because, after all, the library provides books in both formats). And, to a large part, I think libraries may not be picky about the details because the hope is to encourage kids to discover books (in any form) & get them more interested in books in general.

 

When my dc were younger, I think they may have participated in one of the reading challenge things through the library, but that was it. Neither showed much interest in the program (or the prizes) & I never emphasized or encouraged it because I wanted both my dc to read for fun w/out rewards. (I wanted/hoped that reading in & of itself would be the reward.) I am fortunate in that both my dc are strong readers & both enjoy reading.

 

It is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, though, for people to say, "I read a book," when instead the person listened to the book. I do wish people would say it differently, depending on what they did. "I listened to Moby Dick" vs "I read Moby Dick". Two entirely different things, imo.

[vonfirmath]

Ours has to be signed up ahead of time. And you fill out the books you read, with # of pages and whether you liked them or not. Bring it back (no minimum read or anything) and get a book to keep.

 

My son is aiming to fill the page, front and back (41 lines).

The program explicitly counts books that are read to you. So some of the books we are sharing reading. But most he has read himself.  Since there are so many lines, I'm letting him count board books he reads to his little sister as well.  But there are a wide variety of page numbers there.  So far the longest is Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever.  But He's almost done with a children's Bible so that will rocket to the top when he does.

[greenbabybottoms]

Ours is by the number of books, I don't really know if audiobooks count as I've never thought to include them. My girls do listen to audiobooks most nights while falling asleep but they are still expected to actually read some.

[Eagle]

Our program is minimum 20 minutes of reading per day. Audiobooks aren't mentioned, but the form says you can count someone reading to you if you aren't reading yet. You write down the name of something you read each day for seven weeks. There is a different prize every week; the last one is a book.

[Dustybug]

Our summer reading program (for younger children) operates differently depending on whether the child is a reader or a non-reader.  Both get the same little card with a gameboard on it.  Every 5 squares, there is a character.  Readers color in one square per hour of reading while non readers are supposed to color one square for every book read to them.  I make my 5yo (who is only reading simple words) wait until he's been read 5 picture books before coloring in a square, otherwise he'd be done in three days with as much as we read.  When you get to a character, you bring in the gameboard and you get a little paper bag with prizes like whistles, playdough, tattoos, etc. The program spans about two months with a kickoff party in the beginning and another one at the end.

[Seasider]

When my older kids were little, it was strictly recorded by the number of books read, but the parent had the freedom to determine the proper reading level and whether or not read alouds counted.

 

Now with my youngest, everything is variable. Participants can choose to record hours read, number of pages read, or number of books read, with no minimum number required to win/earn a free book and have his name entered into a drawing for a bigger prize. Seems to me even the library has succumbed to the "everybody gets a trophy" mindset. While that troubles me in sports - which I feel are inherently competitive - I'm not sure how I feel about it when it comes to reading. I tend to believe that anything to incentivize reading is a good thing. But OP, I have to agree with you - hard to accept that a couple of audiobooks=reading=completing a summer reading program.

[Word Nerd]

It is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, though, for people to say, "I read a book," when instead the person listened to the book. I do wish people would say it differently, depending on what they did. "I listened to Moby Dick" vs "I read Moby Dick". Two entirely different things, imo.

I disagree that they're *entirely* different. A book is a book, and an author's words are the same words no matter what form they are consumed in. The sensory experiences are different but the end results are the same for me: my enjoyment of losing myself in a book, my knowledge of the story, my thoughts and feelings about the book's content.

 

In any case, I do say I am listening to a book when I talk about an audiobook I'm currently listening to. After I finish books, though, they're all filed as "books I've read" in my head. I don't really care about the format. (I don't fawn all over book pages or the smell of books either. I read for content, not sensory experiences.) I don't see the point of answering, "Have you read Such and Such?" with, "No, I only heard the audiobook." It would almost seem pedantic to do so, especially since the point of such a question is to find out what I thought of the story or whether I think the asker would like it. In that sense, I have "read" the book whether it was a hardback, a Kindle book, or an audiobook.

[8circles]

Our reading program is like this:

Pre-readers fill-out 4 pages with 15 books listed on each page. Completing each page gets you several coupons to local parks, museums, etc.

Readers log reading in 30 minute increments totaling 35 hours spread across 5 pages. On each page there you also have to read a book from a section that the gnome is visiting that week (there is a travelling gnome in the kids section - they have to find the gnome first). On each page there is also either a spot to make that you made a donation to the charity that is highlighted that year (this year it is an animal rescue/brain trauma rehab facility) or mark that you attended a library program (magic show, book club, etc). Each completed page gets you several coupons (same as pre-readers).

 

The next county over has a reading program which only requires 20 hours total (15 minute increments) in 3 sections. Similar coupons are also the rewards. They have a grand prize drawing for those that complete the form for recognition at a MLB game. One winner from each branch.

[Julie Smith]

I like the program this year because my kids like it. :) It personally doesn't encourage them to read more. But it does encourage something I really like, ... visits to the library. 

 

We walk errands and the library is in town so I like going to town often. It is also something to get us out of the house. (I DO not like being outside the house without going somewhere). 

 

I also like that it gets them talking to the librians more. They realize which ones are the best to talk to. In theory the child is always asked about what they read, but some librians don't really bother - other's do it great and try to get a conversation going. 

 

For us I don't really consider it a Summer Reading Program (Since it does not have any effect on the amount the read). Instead I consider it the Summer Library Program. 

[8circles]

I like the program this year because my kids like it. :) It personally doesn't encourage them to read more. But it does encourage something I really like, ... visits to the library. 

 

We walk errands and the library is in town so I like going to town often. It is also something to get us out of the house. (I DO not like being outside the house without going somewhere). 

 

I also like that it gets them talking to the librians more. They realize which ones are the best to talk to. In theory the child is always asked about what they read, but some librians don't really bother - other's do it great and try to get a conversation going. 

 

For us I don't really consider it a Summer Reading Program (Since it does not have any effect on the amount the read). Instead I consider it the Summer Library Program.

I love to see my kids forming relationships with the librarians. There's a lot of value in this kind of program, too.

[ThisIsTheDay]

Our children's reading program is 20 books.  If a child is reading chapter books, 50 pages counts as one book.  They are welcome to count audio books or books parents read out loud (even if the child is reading).  I encourage elementary school kids to read to their preschool siblings, telling them they can both count it as one book, and they can give mom a break.  It's a small library; they get a few free coupons for local things and get to choose a small prize from the library.

 

This is my sixth summer working during the summer reading program.  I've never challenged any child turning in their reading log.  But last week, I had a young man with whom I'm familiar turn in a log with 19 books.  The first two were longer books from the young adult section (which counted as 7 books due to length). The remainder of his books were children's picture books, mostly 32 pages, with one being 12 pages!  I told him he knew he was supposed to be reading books on his level (because he does know that), and that he'd only read 19 books anyway. I reminded him that the point was to be reading during the summer, not to get it done as quickly as possible, and that he should make his one remaining book count!

 

I said it nicely enough.  He was appropriately sheepish. I'm sure he'll be back when the last book is read and that it will be something at least more reasonable than a 12 page book.  He must be about 12 years old.

[Stacia]

I disagree that they're *entirely* different. A book is a book, and an author's words are the same words no matter what form they are consumed in. The sensory experiences are different but the end results are the same for me: my enjoyment of losing myself in a book, my knowledge of the story, my thoughts and feelings about the book's content.

 

In any case, I do say I am listening to a book when I talk about an audiobook I'm currently listening to. After I finish books, though, they're all filed as "books I've read" in my head. I don't really care about the format. (I don't fawn all over book pages or the smell of books either. I read for content, not sensory experiences.) I don't see the point of answering, "Have you read Such and Such?" with, "No, I only heard the audiobook." It would almost seem pedantic to do so, especially since the point of such a question is to find out what I thought of the story or whether I think the asker would like it. In that sense, I have "read" the book whether it was a hardback, a Kindle book, or an audiobook.

As I mentioned, it's *my* pet peeve. I realize my view is not usually shared by others (at least to the extent that I define the difference).

 

I agree that in the situation you posit that it would be pedantic to point out the difference, and I do appreciate that at least you will say you are listening when you are currently working on a particular book that way. That goes some way in mollifying peeved bibliophiles like me. ;)

 

Part of my reason for my pet peeve is that I know some cases where the person/people are functionally illiterate & are being passed off as being 'readers of hard literature'. (Many times these are hsing students.) In those situations, I think there is is very big distinction between reading (interpreting & understanding printed code on a page) vs. listening (hearing & understanding what is read aloud). In cases like that, I feel like it is purposeful misrepresentation (& also setting the child up for a very hard time when he/she reaches a university level education).

 

As I said, I think the skills are complementary but still different.

[In the Rain]

My kids read a lot. A. lot. As in hours a day, every day, actual reading - not audio books. But I could see myself saying the same thing to one of my kids.

 

This is kind of what I was thinking. I could see one of my dds pointing out that we had covered the requirements with books on a road trip. I would laugh and agree. I wonder if someone could overhear our conversation and think that was all we "read".  :blushing: In reality, my kids read hours a day also. Just because we "could" fulfill the requirement that way doesn't mean we would, KWIM?

 

To answer your question about our summer reading program, kids read 500 minutes to earn a packet of wildflower seeds. After another 500 minutes, they earn a tote bag. Dh felt it was kind of lame to hand out seeds in July, which is a really bad time to start seeds! I am just glad there aren't any fast food coupons. :tongue_smilie:

[sbgrace]

Up to age 12, you get prizes every so many minutes of reading or being read to--I'm not sure if that is for non-readers or anyone. The top prize is at 4 hours. So not a lot of reading really. My kids went through all the prize levels within the first week they signed up. They have a program for older kids, but I'm not sure of the requirements.

 

I have a child who is a good reader, but has attention issues that make finishing books of any length rare for him. In that first week, he read 440 minutes and multiple long books. He was extremely motivated and I was thrilled. He's collected his prizes, but he's still reading more than he had been before.

[Chris in VA]

Ours is a certain number of books will earn you a book of rather lame coupons. We don't bother anymore.

 

I guess I see the audio book vs regular book thing like this--What is the purpose of the program? Is it to encourage a love of story and information, to practice the skill of reading, to learn to love reading? I would think the goal would vary between readers and non-readers.

Actually, if I were a librarian, I would either separate the categories or make actually reading books a part of it. Of course, the latter would exclude non-readers, and I don't think the library or the patrons would like that.

[Jean in Newcastle]

This is the first year that both my kids are doing the teen reading program.  It is quite lame (in my opinion) compared to the  younger age program.  You get to choose between reading 12 hours in order to receive a free paperback and a chance to win a WiiU or Kindle Fire.  Or you check off  these 7 tasks - (visit the library, attend a program, take the poll on the library website, introduce yourself to a library staff member, post a book review online, recommend a book to a friend, get or show your library card).  These 7 tasks will get you a free paperback and a chance to win the WiiU or Kindle Fire.  

[TXBeth]

I wouldn't have a problem counting audiobooks. They are explicitly included in every library program I have seen. I would, however, have a problem with counting books that were read before the program started.

 

ETA: I would have a problem with MY children counting books they had read before the program started. I really don't care what other people do. Most of the programs are set up so you can easily just fill in the boxes without doing anything, so they obviously don't care about policing it too much.

[Elfknitter.#]

Children's library summer reading programs are meant for the school children of the entire community. I don't know about your communities, but not all of the school children in my community are reading at grade level, much less are being classically educated. I think libraries have to take all of that into consideration.

[RoundAbout]

I think it's fine for the library program to be as inclusive as possible. We have a lot of Non-English speakers in our community so I think audiobooks are totally appropriate. However as a parent, I required real book reading for it to count.

 

DS is not very externally motivated so didn't care much about the program but I kept track for him. Our library has a card with spaces to check off for every 15 minutes of reading (or listening). The prize after 20 check marks is a goody bag filled with restaurant coupons, local museum tickets, pens, stickers, etc.

[PachiSusan]

I dunno. I do think an older child who can read really should be reading, not listening to an audiobook for the credit. . I don't consider listening the same skill as physically reading it themselves.

[Elfknitter.#]

Even if said 5th grader reads at a 2nd grade level? 1st grade level? K level? There are upper elementary kids stuck at that point of barely being able to read. Why should a summer time incentive be a chore for them?

[TXBeth]

I dunno. I do think an older child who can read really should be reading, not listening to an audiobook for the credit. . I don't consider listening the same skill as physically reading it themselves.

I can see your point, but I disagree because I don't think the objective of the library program is to increase literacy. I think it is to expose children to more books. That is why audiobooks and being read to are allowed as part of the programs.

[Tenaj]

This is the first year we've actually participated in our library program. The children receive points for the books they have read. 2 points for each chapter book and 1 point for each picture book. When we return the books, they take them to the children's librarian. For each five points they receive, they get to fill out a prize slip to put into a drawing for one of five large prizes ($20 gift certificate, lego set, science set). Audio books haven't been mentioned to us at all so I'm assuming they don't count. I've been laughing at the angst my kids have in decided which box to put their prize slip into. I thought they would each pick one prize and put all their slips for the summer in one box but they are spreading out their chances :)

[Lisbeth]

If it's a reading program, it should only involve reading. I think the act of reading, or sitting and seeing the words while a parent reads even, is different than listening like it's a radio show. I would not count audio books...the written word would have to be involved.

[jhschool]

I disagree that they're *entirely* different. A book is a book, and an author's words are the same words no matter what form they are consumed in. The sensory experiences are different but the end results are the same for me: my enjoyment of losing myself in a book, my knowledge of the story, my thoughts and feelings about the book's content.

 

In any case, I do say I am listening to a book when I talk about an audiobook I'm currently listening to. After I finish books, though, they're all filed as "books I've read" in my head. I don't really care about the format. (I don't fawn all over book pages or the smell of books either. I read for content, not sensory experiences.) I don't see the point of answering, "Have you read Such and Such?" with, "No, I only heard the audiobook." It would almost seem pedantic to do so, especially since the point of such a question is to find out what I thought of the story or whether I think the asker would like it. In that sense, I have "read" the book whether it was a hardback, a Kindle book, or an audiobook.

 

Absolutely.   :iagree:

[8circles]

It was my understanding that the goal of the library reading program was to get people to use the library more - checking books out in print and audio & anything else that the library offers.  Side benefits being increased literacy, love of reading, etc.  But it isn't school & the reading program isn't homework.

[OK Family]

Our library summer reading program required k-6th grade(?) to read 20 books to get a prize. I have 3 kids. All of mine read 19 books on their level and we listened to one audiobook, The Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe, which counted as 1 book. We love audio books listened to several this summer while out and about in the car.

[beaners]

Our local library does raffle tickets for the prizes of your choice.  You get a ticket for reading a book, but you also get them for attending the weekly library classes or the weekly family nights. I think audiobooks would count, because books read aloud count for younger kids. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but I'm the bad mom who doesn't enter the kids for the regular raffles during the year, even though they always check out enough books to qualify. There's a similar adult summer reading program too, but this library is so small that I only rarely take out any books for myself while we are there.

 

Regardless of whether or not everyone is "earning" all of their tickets, I love how many people I'm seeing every week at the library.  It's a good activity for the kids and families, and it's good for the library to have more circulation.

[JennW in SoCal]

 

It is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, though, for people to say, "I read a book," when instead the person listened to the book. I do wish people would say it differently, depending on what they did. "I listened to Moby Dick" vs "I read Moby Dick". Two entirely different things, imo.

 

Hang on there a minute -- I resemble that remark!

 

My ds and I listened to Moby Dick a few years ago when he was in 11th grade.  But he and I will each say in conversation that we've read Moby Dick because the book -- the story, the action, the characters, the tedious chapters on details of 19th century whaling -- is no different in our minds and memory than if we had read it in print.  Our discussions about the book continue to this day to be lively and deep.  Listening to an excellent narrator read that book made it accessible because he brought some very dense prose to life.  He brought Ahab to life, especially the almost Shakespearean soliloquies that Ahab gives.  He kept my attention throughout the chapter on the color white -- a chapter I would have skimmed or skipped had I been reading the print version.  So yeah -- I have read Moby Dick.  And it was listed among "books read" in the course description for my son's 11th grade literature course.  

 

Of course reading, as in the decoding and comprehension of the printed word, is a skill set that needs to be learned and practiced.  But for some students the enjoyment and understanding of great literature happens best through hearing it. Sometimes it is a slightly ADD kid who can't sit still long enough to read a thick book, but who will listen to the book while building legos or drawing.  For some students it might be that the style of writing of earlier novels is difficult to get past, and it takes a good narrator to make those clause choked passages sound natural, to put those unknown words in context where the meaning is obvious.   Isn't it wonderful that through audiobooks these students can experience great literature as something enjoyable? That they will fondly remember those books rather than only having known them as drudgingly painful assignments?

 

But the thread is about summer reading programs.  In the greater scheme of things these small incentive programs are just not that important, especially to homeschool families where books of all kinds and formats are usually central to their lives.  I would like to think that there a few kids out there who, thanks to these programs, do discover the joy of reading, whether it is through a print or audio version of a book.  

[Cinder]

Ours is a certain number of books will earn you a book of rather lame coupons. We don't bother anymore.

Ours is even lamer--a certain number of books (or is it hours? I don't even care enough to know) earns you a coupon at the local pizza buffet and a chance to win an iPad. Ok, the chance to win an iPad is new. It used to be that you could go to the end of summer celebration where the kids play carnival type games and win the little prizes like rulers and water bottles. *That* was extremely lame and my boys decided after the first summer that it wasn't worth it. We'd just moved to the area and they were initially excited about the summer reading program because our previous library had a decent program where the kids could earn a book. My ds's were hoping for another book. Instead they got a coupon to the meh pizza buffet and a ticket to the more-meh library party. We have not bothered to participate since.

[Ravin]

Mine are doing ours. It's multi-tiered. Preschoolers can be read to or do a variety of literacy activities listed on the stepping stone progress markers, and get prizes for every 9 steps, tracked with stickers. For DD's age group, there are more steps, and prizes for every twelve. Each represents 20 min or 100 pages. Younger readers it can be individual picture books. Audiobooks and read alouds can also count.

[Elfknitter.#]

If it's a reading program, it should only involve reading. I think the act of reading, or sitting and seeing the words while a parent reads even, is different than listening like it's a radio show. I would not count audio books...the written word would have to be involved.

I don't see how audiobooks can be equated to radio shows as there is still a person reading the book aloud. That's no different than if a parent were doing it. There are still hours spent listening. Children could still follow along with text if they wish but I don't see why that must be a requirement.

[Word Nerd]

The library where we used to live encouraged kids to write down the books librarians read aloud during story hour on their summer reading log. There were readers in the group as well as preschoolers. The goal of the program was primarily exposing kids to books and getting kids in the library.

 

As for "lame" prizes, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Good prizes cost money, and library budgets are tight. It also isn't reasonable to expect local businesses to provide $25 gift cards or some other non-lame prize to the hundreds of kids who complete the program. I think the prize for the library program when I was a kid was a free ice cream cone from the drug store soda counter.

[LibraryLover]

I can't get worked up over that. She brought her kid to the *library*.  Lots of people don't.

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

I can't get worked up over that. She brought her kid to the *library*.  Lots of people don't.

 

Says the library lover!  (I just thought it was cute that you were the one to say this. :P )

[LibraryLover]

Says the library lover!  (I just thought it was cute that you were the one to say this. :p )

 

lol 

 

I'm thrilled she got the audio books for the car ride in the first place. Has the kid no iPod, no Smartphone, no car TV?  ;)

[PachiSusan]

I can see your point, but I disagree because I don't think the objective of the library program is to increase literacy. I think it is to expose children to more books. That is why audiobooks and being read to are allowed as part of the programs.

Our program, per the librarian, is to increase literacy and to see if reading over the summer increases literacy in the next school year. They keep records of who is involved and at which school. We didn't fill out full name and just said home schooled. I cannot speak for anyone else's program, but ours only allows reading to by a parent for the younger child.

 

I havent changed my opinion even though its quite theminority one, and I don't think "listening" is the same skill as reading.