This is what summer looks like: The evaluation

I'm actually testing out the winning school librarian's
queen of summer reading crown but whatever.

How it went:

Pretty good overall. Having fewer programs and replacing the big craft parties with performers was less stressful. Our circulation wasn't as insane as previous years, probably due to the opening of the new pool and weird weather, but it was still quite decent. I still think the summer reading can be simplified more, but nobody complained about the lack of plastic crap and kids were perfectly happy with small candies and/or coupons.

I am trying to stop thinking of it as a "completion" thing and more of an ongoing reading program, so kids bringing in their logs at the end for a free book is more of a bonus prize and not a "oh no hardly any kids completed the program!" I think the more important number is the return visits, which were over 2,000.

The Numbers

Circulation

• June: 14,412
• July: 9,166
• August: 11,721
• Total summer circulation: 35,299

Programs and program attendance 

• Programs: 72 
• Attendance: 3,340 

Summer Reading 

• Registered for Rubber Ducky Readers: 74 
• Logs returned: 50 
• Registered for Every Hero Has a Story: 808 
• Return visits (June/July): 2,342 (approximate)
• Logs returned: 170 
• Registered for Teen Summer Reading: 81 
• Participants who won prizes: 52

Plans for next year

As I said, I do have some plans. I would like to break up the general summer reading calendars so the kids turn in the June calendar for passes, then get the July calendar and turn that in for their free book. However, because the passes depend on age, in order to do that I need a better Rubber Ducky Readers program and I am hoping to use the WLA early literacy calendars for that next year.

If all goes well (and I'm kind of doubtful about this) we will have a walled in area of some kind and be able to really expand the gardens next year and do more outdoor programming. We'll see how it goes, budget-wise.

I would like to partner with summer school for more things - possibly take boxes of books over there and have kids check out as they get picked up or something, or maybe collaborate on some programs.