Massachusetts Regional Library Systems, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and local libraries sponsor a popular free summer reading program that helps students of all ages maintain and improve skills.

The Wild Reads at Your Library statewide summer reading program provides children and teens the opportunity to go beyond reading to the worlds of imagination and creativity which reading can open. Wild Reads allows kids to select what they want to read, set goals, track their progress on-line and some libraries offer prizes including passes to attractions across the state.  “It’s a chance for them to visit their library, read for pleasure, enjoy state attractions, and it’s free” noted Janet Eckert, Library Youth Consultant in western Massachusetts.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” according to Maureen Ambrosino, Library Youth Consultant in central Massachusetts. “Kids like it because it’s fun—they choose what interests them-- and many libraries reward them with prizes. Parents like it because it helps their children improve reading skills, and teachers like it because reading over the summer helps kids maintain skills they’ve learned over the academic year.”  In fact, research shows that reading as a leisure activity is the best predictor of comprehension, vocabulary, and reading skills and children who participate in summer reading programs show an increase in vocabulary scores on standardized testing and an increase in comprehension scores.

Wild Reads offers programs for preschool children, school-aged children; young adults and families. More than 400 libraries across the Commonwealth are participating in Wild Reads at Your Library. Each library offers programs that meet the needs of their own community and many work closely with schools to create a strong reading support network.

In 2007 over 130,000 people had fun and improved their skills through participation in Massachusetts public library summer reading programs.  To sign up for Wild Reads at Your Library visit www.ReadsinMA.org. or contact your local library.  To find your local library visit www.mass.gov/libraries.

Wild Reads at Your Library is sponsored by your local library, Massachusetts Regional Library Systems, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.