TCCL News & Events

Tulsa City-County Library’s annual summer reading program for children and teens goes beyond the books to create a community bound by the joy of reading.

Families look forward to the free program each summer as a way to encourage their children to retain and improve reading levels for school, read books for fun, and see entertaining and educational events.

The 2011 summer reading program set new records by signing up 45,639 children and teens. This is the highest number of participants in the program’s 30-year history. One in every four Tulsa County children under the age of 17 participated this year.

The 2011 summer reading program set circulation records as well. Children and teens combined to read 395,220 books from May 21 through July 31 – nearly 40,000 books a week or more than 5,000 books a day.

“Studies have shown that children who do not read in the summer experience a ‘summer slide’ by losing some of the skills they acquired during the school year,” said Emily Tichenor, TCCL’s children’s services coordinator. “Reading in the summer is a great way to prevent this. It also allows children and teens a much-needed opportunity to explore different types of literature and read what they like.”

Community sponsors, volunteers and library staff work year-round to ensure young readers are given every opportunity to succeed. From planning entertaining performances to securing great prizes for the coupon booklet, TCCL’s summer reading program is geared to keep children and teens learning during the summer.

As an extra incentive to complete the program, children and teens are awarded coupon booklets for free food and local entertainment. The value for the 24,888 children’s and teen coupon booklets earned in 2011 was $1.7 million.

“We have had over 3,500 redemptions of the ‘Nuggets of Knowledge’ coupon in the Tulsa City-County Library reading incentive coupon books. There seems to be a lot of interest in our nuggets as an incentive, and we are pleased to support the program to enhance reading with our youth,” said Jim Cook, senior vice president, marketing, Wendy’s. “Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, believed in giving back. So Dave would be pleased with our mutual commitment to give back.”

Additional coupon sponsors included Tulsa Shock, Tulsa Drillers, Tulsa 66ers, Oklahoma Aquarium, Tulsa Air and Space Museum, El Chico, Mazzio’s Italian Eatery, Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa Transit, McDonald’s, Krispy Kreme, Freckles Frozen Custard, Incredible Pizza and Kaleidoscope Children’s Museum.

Children who completed the program were eligible to win prizes provided by the Friends of the Helmerich Library, Library Staff Association, Tulsa 66ers, Tulsa Drillers, Kaleidoscope Children’s Museum, Tulsa Performing Arts Center Trust, News On 6, Oklahoma Aquarium, Tulsa Air and Space Museum, Outback Steakhouse, Broken Arrow Lanes and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Teens and tweens who completed the program were eligible to enter a drawing for a variety of prizes provided by the Tulsa Library Trust, including an Xbox, Nook and gift cards to area stores.

Presenting sponsors of the summer reading program included the Tulsa Library Trust, Hille Foundation, NewsChannel 8, Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Tulsa Drillers, Tulsa Shock and Tulsa Zoo.

Beyond the books, TCCL presents family programs like visits from award-winning authors, cartooning workshops and lively music performers. More than 23,000 children and teens attended programs at TCCL’s 25 locations to help keep reading fun.

The summer reading program culminates with the Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young
Readers’ Literature. The award is given annually by the Tulsa Library Trust to a nationally acclaimed children’s and young-adult author. The 2011 honoree was Kathryn Lasky, best known for her “Guardians of Ga’Hoole” series, featuring 15 books chronicling the adventures of Soren. In 2010, the 3-D animated film “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” was released to wide acclaim.

An added component to the summer reading program is the Teen Team, a summer volunteer group for ages 13 to 15. Members gain job experience while assisting librarians with activities associated with the children’s summer reading program.

In 2011, 381 Teen Team members volunteered 10,765 hours to assist with summer activities. Their value is determined to save the library approximately $78,000 or the equivalent of 67 full-time summer shelvers.

The success of TCCL’s summer reading program for children and teens is made possible by dedicated library staff, community partners and gracious volunteers. These combined efforts help make Tulsa County an example for literacy excellence.

For more information on library programming, call the AskUs Hotline, 918-549-7323, or visit the library’s website, www.tulsalibrary.org.