Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries Mark End to Successful Summer Reading Program
More than 1200 Community Members Participated in 8-Week Program

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are pleased to report the results of this year’s successful Summer Reading Program. More than 1200 community members participated in the eight-week program which started on June 3rd and ended on July 30th. The participants included 944 children and 191 teens. In all, more than 750 books were read by adults during this time. This is the highest participation the libraries have had since the addition of the Library Bookvan and the expansion of the program to all the branches.

The entire library team applauds our local community for reading their way through the summer! To celebrate, this past Saturday, July 30, 2022, the Goleta Valley Library hosted a Summer Splash party featuring crafts, games, prizes, activities, and even special guests from Seven Seas Press, Ice in Paradise, The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, UCSB H.E.A.R. and Santa Barbara Face Painting. Solvang Library hosted an Ice Cream Social to celebrate with their readers and to thank the generous donors and volunteers who supported their program this year. Readers at all three libraries redeemed their final prizes and entered prize drawings, whose winners will be announced this week.

Since the start of the program, hundreds of patrons have enjoyed fun weekly events such as magicians, jugglers, musicians, crafts, and a Stuffed Animal Sleepover that even captured national recognition in The Washington Post. The combined attendance at library shows this summer was well over a thousand. The best part about these programs, says Goleta Valley Library Children's Librarian Elizabeth Saucedo, is the way it brings the community together.

"During the last two summers, we held the Summer Reading Program completely online, including virtual shows and digital reading logs," she shares. "This year, to see the smiles on everyone's faces as they came to the library, reported on their reading to earn their prizes, and saw friends at our special events -- it was magical."

Another welcome addition to this year's program was the return of the in-person Teen Volunteer Program. Over 30 local teen volunteers chatted with young readers about their books, awarded prizes, and helped set up on special event days, all while having fun and earning community service hours toward graduation.

The main goal of the Summer Reading Program is to encourage participants of all ages to read during the summer months. During the gap in between school years, learning loss can occur and lead to academic struggles in the fall and beyond. Reading during the summer is an antidote to that, Elizabeth explains.                                                                  

"It's essential for students to spend time reading during school breaks. To encourage our community to keep reading all summer long, our program includes fantastic prizes that participants can earn based on how much they read," she says. "We want to say a heartfelt thank-you to all of the generous businesses and our Friends of the Library groups for contributing donations that helped motivate readers to reach their reading goals!"

While the Summer Reading Program has ended, there is still lots to do at your library, including the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program, book clubs for all ages, storytimes, crafts, and themed programs. For more information on the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, including events, visit www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.