Sanibel library wraps up Summer Reading Program
The Sanibel Public Library recently marked the end of its annual Summer Reading Program.
“Island Adventures: Summer Reading Journey through Sanibel” ran from June 1 through July 25 and featured engaging guests, fun activities, a scavenger hunt, art contest, prizes and more for all ages.
Director Amber Cox explained that libraries have been offering summer reading programs since the 1890s. Studies have found a negative loss in reading skills over the summer in youths, called the summer slide, so the programs encourage daily reading habits and help to promote lifelong literacy.
“They’re so incredibly important to help prevent the summer slide in kids,” she said. “We want everyone to start out the school year ready to go.”
This year’s program was open to all ages: 0-5, 6-12, 13-17, and 18 and older. Each age bracket had a separate reading challenge, with participants age 5 and under receiving a free book for every 150 minutes read and the others earning one for every 250 minutes read. Everyone who signed up to take part also received one free book and a prize.
Marketing and Outreach Coordinator Kristin Van Olst reported that when participants reached the milestone of 1,000 minutes read, they completed the program and got a certificate and a medal.
The top three readers in each age group, based on minutes read, received prizes. Also, participants earned raffle tickets along the way for their minutes, with grand and runner-up prizes for each group.
The top donors were A Little Adventure, MacIntosh Books + Paper, On Island, and Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream, with additional donors including the Sanibel Sea School, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, Tarpon Bay Explorers, and The Original Cheeburger Cheeburger.
The participants in this year’s program read 350,554 total minutes.
Cox noted that last year’s participants read about 273,000 minutes.
“We are completely brown away by the local readers and very impressed by their commitment to reading this summer,” she said.
The breakdown by age group was as follows: ages 0-5 had 77 readers with 33,814 minutes; ages 6-12 had 161 readers with 108,381 minutes; ages 13-17 had 50 readers with 52,838 minutes; and ages 18 and older had 164 readers with 155,341 minutes.
“The age 6-12 group really impressed us with their reading,” Cox said.
While many libraries offer a program over the summer, there is a unique and special aspect to the Sanibel one — the “Read for Others” initiative, supported by the Sanibel Public Library Foundation. When participants earn a book based on their minutes read, a book is also donated to the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
This year, a total of 1,402 books were donated to the hospital.
“We learned that they give out over 100 books every week,” she said. “We are so grateful to all of the people who registered and participated in our reading program, especially those who continued to read after reaching their goal.”
Cox extended a thank you to the foundation for funding the initiative.
“The library and staff are extremely grateful to the Sanibel Public Library Foundation’s support,” she said.
Throughout the summer, the library also hosted a range of programs, speakers and presentations.
“We had many local agencies come that were from on island,” Youth and Family Services Coordinator Megan Benders said, citing the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), Sanibel Fire and Rescue District, Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, and Sanibel Sea School.
“We also brought in some outside presenters,” she added, noting that some of the popular ones were Adam’s Animal Encounters, the Didgeridoo Down Under Show, and magician Cesar Domico.
There was an island-themed scavenger hunt, which required participants to travel to various locations to get answers to questions. Once completed, they could turn in their map for a prize of ice cream.
Also, the program entailed a bookmark art contest for each age group.
As of last week, library staff were still judging the entries.
“There are such exceptional drawings,” Cox said.
For more information, visit https://sanlib.org/ or call 239-472-2483.
The Sanibel Public Library is at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.