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Summer Reading 2020

Summer Reading 2020

Welcome to the 2020 Summer Reading Program at Salmon Public Library: Imagine Your Story! Some parts of our program are going to work a little differently this year, but we’ve still got an amazing summer ahead of us!

REGISTER ONLINE OR AT THE LIBRARY BEGINNING JUNE 15.                                              Click here to register online.

Summer Reading is a program that takes place at libraries across the United States, with the goal to keep kids reading outside of school and to encourage a life-long love of reading. At Salmon Public Library, kids who participate in the program have the opportunity to earn prizes based on the amount of time they read. Our 2020 Summer Reading program will run from June 15 through August 15. During this time, participants will earn a raffle ticket for every hour they spend reading, which can be spent on drawings for a variety of awesome prizes. (Check out our prize gallery.) Each child will also receive a free ice-cream for participating this summer.

There are two options for participating in the program:

The Family Readers program is for beginning and pre-readers (ages 1 and up) who are not yet ready to read on their own. Family Readers track time being read to by, or reading with, a family member.

The Independent Readers program is for children and teens (up to 18 years of age) who read independently.

Family Readers

In the Family Readers program, you will track time spent reading to/with your young child. You may track time your child spends reading any book (including ebooks and audiobooks) with a caregiver (parent, grandparent, older sibling, babysitter) as long as the child is actively engaged in the story. For every cumulative hour of reading, your child will earn a ticket to spend in the Family Readers Raffle. 

Family Readers track reading time using stickers! Every 20 minutes of reading equals one sticker. We encourage you to allow your little ones to peel and place the stickers on the circles. This simple practice helps young children develop their fine motor skills, a key step in learning to write. (Besides, who doesn’t love stickers?) You can also practice counting the number of stickers with your child. If you run out of stickers or space on your log, stop by the library for more.

Independent Readers

As an Independent Reader, you will track the time you spend reading on a reading log. For each entry on the reading log, you should include three things: the date, the book you were reading and how long you spent reading it. When you check in at the library, we will total up the number of minutes you’ve spent reading and give you a raffle ticket for every hour you’ve accumulated. Each of these tickets can be spent in the Independent Readers Raffle.

Take-Home Activity Program

Due to concerns about COVID-19, the Salmon Public Library has made the decision not to run in-person activity programs for Summer Reading this year. While we are saddened by these circumstances, we are working hard to provide the same fun, hands-on learning experiences in an at-home setting. In place of our regular July programs, we are putting together a series of take-home activity kits—complete with materials and instructions—that your child can complete each week. Children can choose from a Family Readers kit, which will have crafts, songs, games, and more designed for young children to complete with a caregiver; or an Independent Readers kit, which will feature a different creative STEM project each week. In addition to having a great time, kids can earn an extra raffle ticket for every project they complete—either by a) sharing a picture or video on social media, or b) bringing in your finished project for us to see!

We are fortunate this summer to be partnering with a number of local daycare and day camp providers for the distribution of these kits. Kids enrolled in one of these programs will receive their kits directly through the care provider, which saves you a trip! For an up-to-date list of our partners see below.

Questions? See our FAQ below. Something more we can help you with? Give us a call at (208) 756-2311 or stop by M-F 10am-4pm.

Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a list of commonly asked questions that may already have been answered for you. If you can’t find your answer below try sending us a message at salmonlibrary1@gmail.com and we’ll promptly get back to you.
What are the raffle prizes and can I win more than one?
There are two separate raffles, one for Family Readers and one for Independent Readers. Each raffle has five different prizes, chosen specially by our staff for maximum learning and maximum fun. Check out our Prize Gallery. Every time you earn a raffle ticket, you can choose which prize drawing you want to spend it on, which means you don’t have to spend tickets on prizes you don’t want. Whether you want to focus all your tickets on winning one specific prize or spread out your chances is up to you. Just remember: no participant will be allowed to win more than one prize. If you win a prize during the drawing, you will be disqualified from any subsequent drawings. Keep this in mind when distributing your tickets.
When do I get my tickets?
Participants can check in any time throughout the program to get their tickets. When you check in, we will total up the number of minutes since your last check-in and give you the corresponding amount of tickets. You must submit your tickets the day you receive them. No taking tickets out of the library for another day. To save time for our staff and you, we recommend saving check-ins until you have accumulated a large amount of reading time.
When will the prize drawing be?
The prize drawing will take place on Monday August 17. Saturday, August 15 will be the last day participants can check in and submit their tickets..
My child basically knows how to read, but they usually still read with a grown-up's help. Should we register as a Family or Independent Reader?
If the majority of reading your child does is still with a family member’s guidance, you should register as a Family Reader. If your child shows an inclination to read on their own, you can still count that time on their log.
My child's daycare does Story Time. Can I count those hours on their log?
No. The Summer Reading program is intended to increase time spent reading outside of school and other places where reading is expected to happen. In addition, you may not be able to verify the amount of time spent reading, or if your child was actually engaged in the story. For this reason, we ask that you do not include daycare storytimes on your Family Reader log. You may, however, include time that a babysitter or relative can verify was spent reading with your child.
My child is registered as an Independent Reader. Are they still allowed to track time where someone else is reading to them?
Yes! The Independent Reader program is intended for children who primarily read on their own, and it’s healthy to encourage your child’s independent reading habits. But research shows that reading aloud to children continues to have benefits long after they begin to read on their own. For years after they learn to read, children’s listening comprehension is often much more advanced than their reading level, so reading aloud can be a great way to introduce new vocabulary, try more challenging books, or tackle difficult subject matter together. If you do choose to read to your Independent Reader, track time as you normally would—with the date, book and time spent reading. Just make sure you’re choosing something that is above your child’s current reading level, not below it.    
My child is registered as an Independent Reader. Are they allowed to count time they spend reading aloud to younger siblings?
Yes—as long as the majority of tracked time is still spent reading age-appropriate books independently. Reading aloud to others can help young readers develop confidence, reading comprehension and social skills, and some kids really enjoy it. Have your Independent Reader note on their reading log any time they have been reading to a younger child. Otherwise, we might have some questions about the books they’re choosing 🙂
How do you know a child has really spent all that time reading?
and their families to hold themselves accountable. We encourage parents and caregivers to take this opportunity to have a conversation with their kids about representing themselves honestly and being fair to other participants. And, if all else fails: we reserve the right to ask a question or two about the books on your log 🙂
I indicated on my registration form that I would like to download and print my own materials. Where can I access those materials?
You may access the materials to download and print at home via these links:
Family Reader Information Packet
Independent Reader Information Packet
Please note the downloadable materials do not include some of the promotional items that will be handed out at pick-ups (bookmarks, stickers, buttons). These items are not necessary for participation in the program, but some kids/families enjoy receiving them.
Who are your distribution partners for the activity kits?

Our current partners include:

  • Salmon Head Start
  • Kids Creek Early Education Center
  • Summer Creek Day Camps
  • Calvary Chapel Heritage Summer Camp

Interested in being a distribution partner? We’d love to hear from you! Give us a call at (208) 756-2311.

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