Summer Literacy Growing in Charlotte, NC; Library Reports 21 Million Minutes Read and a 52% Increase in Summer Reading
Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) September 19, 2013 -- Literacy in Charlotte-Mecklenburg during the summer is increasing, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library statistics. This year, more than 24,000 people read 21 million minutes and tracked their reading with the Library’s online summer reading program. Overall, the Library reports a 52% increase in reading and a 10% increase in participation from 2012 to 2013.
School-age children, teens and adults who read, did so for an average of 30 minutes per day, far exceeding the research-based program goal of 20 minutes per day.
The Library increased participation this year by moving up the start date, increasing marketing efforts and cross-promoting with local schools. 77 out of 159 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools participated in summer reading this year; some with over 100 participants per school. The goal is to drive that even higher next year.
"The partnership with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to support summer reading has been an amazing support for our students. Typically, CMS is talking about summer reading loss and this summer for so many students we are talking about summer reading gains!" says Ann Clark, Deputy Superintendent for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. "The efforts at each library branch to creatively encourage and inspire summer reading has been phenomenal. Based on the results for this summer, our CMS team is already hard at work to increase participation and track reading achievement for each student next summer."
Reading is becoming an even more essential skill for all students, as North Carolina implements the Read to Achieve Program, part of the Excellent Public Schools Act, a new law that took effect this school year and requires all students to pass the state’s reading test by third grade. The more children read, the better their fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. The Library partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools helps to build readers who are prepared to succeed in school, the workplace, and in life.
“Working with the schools is a critical strategy for increasing summer reading results,” says Michele Gorman, the Library's Deputy Director for Lifelong Learning.
Catherine Haydon, the Library’s summer reading project coordinator, adds, “This year, we gave ourselves a head start so we would have more time to get into the schools and the community to sign more people up."
Research shows that reading and literacy in children and teens is a strong predictor of educational achievement and career success. The Library’s annual summer reading program helps improve educational achievement by encouraging reading during the summer months, when academic gains made during each school year can erode significantly if children do not read.
The 2013 Summer Reading program officially ended Aug. 10, 2013. Companies interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2014 Summer Reading program can contact the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation at 704-416-0618.
For more information about the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, visit our website at http://www.cmlibrary.org. Also look for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.
Cordelia Anderson, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, http://www.cmlibrary.org, (704) 999-0511, [email protected]
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