An important way to publicize the reading club is through school visits. Schools and teachers are natural allies in encouraging children to read during the summer. Cooperate with them in any way possible.
Call or write your school district's administrative office in February or March and ask permission to promote your library's summer reading programs. Then call principals, teachers, or school librarians in March or April and schedule the visits for late April or early May. Schools are happy to have librarians visit in the last weeks of school.
Make your visits entertaining. Dress up like a Texas animal or historical figure and carry a backpack full of riddles, jokes, and stories related to the theme. You'll find animal costumes in costume books such as Snazeroo Zoo: Great Faces and Easy Costumes to Bring Out the Animal in You by Jan Bullis. Tell the students about the Texas Reading Club and your library's programs for children of all ages. Entertain them with stories, songs, puppet plays, or music, according to your talents. Use ideas from this manual in your presentation. Promote your library's programs and leave a poster with the date on which your reading club begins written on it as a reminder. Ask the school librarian to display it in a prominent spot.
Take bookmarks, posters, and program flyers with you. If possible, print or stamp enough bookmarks with your summer program dates and library hours so that one may be given to each child. Some schools will even include reading club flyers with end of the year report cards.
Dear Teachers and Administrators, The ____________________________________________, (Library) in cooperation with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, is pleased to announce the 2003 Texas Reading Club. The theme is "Mission Possible: Spy a Book!"
Many activities are also planned at the library this summer for children of all ages to highlight this year's theme, including a special teen reading club. May we have your help in encouraging students to visit the public library this summer? A staff member from our library would be happy to visit the elementary and middle schools in your district in May to tell the children about the summer reading club and about the other children's programs at the library. I look forward to hearing from you.
To encourage your child to read this summer, the ____________________________________________________ (Library )is sponsoring the 2003 Texas Reading Club. The theme for this club is "Mission Possible: Spy a Book!" The library will offer many activities that make reading fun. These programs begin ______________ (Date) and end ________________ (Date) Contact the library at _______________________________ (Phone Number) for a schedule of the planned activities.
Encourage your child to participate in the Texas Reading Club! By doing so, you will help your child retain hard-earned reading skills acquired during the school year. The library has books, audiocassettes, and videos available for check out. Your family can explore Texas from the gulf coast to the piney woods with an inexpensive trip to the library, and your library card is free!
The ________________________________ (Your Library's Name) is pleased to announce "Mission Possible: Spy a Book!" This is the theme of the 2003 Texas Reading Club. Preschool children can participate and receive awards by joining the Read to Me Club and listening to books that are read to them. Children who read can join the Texas Reading Club and receive recognition for the number of the books read or the amount of time spent reading.
_____________________________ (Your Library's Name) also provides special programs just for daycare centers. Please call the library at ___________________ (Phone) to register for the Texas Reading Club, for information on our special daycare programs, and for a complete schedule of daycare events at the library.
In addition, please contact the library for information about obtaining a library card for your school or daycare, audiovisual materials for checkout, and activities, games, and arts and crafts that build reading skills and the enjoyment of reading.