Summer Reading Programs from A to Z

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(An Infopeople Online Learning Course)
February 6, 2007 - March 5, 2007

This course is about how to do summer reading programs generally. It is not about the California Summer Reading Program, but complements it by providing staff with additional training and resources. The course is co-sponsored by the California Library Association.

It's only February and we're already thinking about summer reading programs! If you're new to libraries or to summer reading activities, or just need a little inspiration in this area, this course will allow you to explore:

  • Why summer reading programs are important,
  • How summer reading programs can be effectively organized and evaluated, and
  • How to promote summer reading in your community.

We'll be sharing practical tips, innovative ideas, and reliable resources to make summer reading easier and more fun for everyone. Don't reinvent the wheel - join us as we focus on the fun, not the rules, and cover the fundamental skills that will help you survive summer!

Workshop Description: During this four week online course we will cover the full range of summer reading basics. In addition to each week's reading, you will spend time in online discussion forums sharing ideas for the successful planning, implementation, and evaluation of summer reading programs. The instructor will provide sample plans, templates, cheat sheets and a webliography, as well as practical, useful tips that can be applied immediately. There will also be ample opportunity to learn from others, as ALL students will be expected to share three of their ideas for programs, promotions, or some other aspect of summer reading success.

Preliminary Course Outline: Using your web browser and your Internet connection, you will log in to the Infopeople online learning site and complete the following learning modules:

  • Module One: Why Are Summer Reading Programs Important?
    • What the research says
    • The purpose and goals for YOUR summer reading program
    • How to talk about the importance of summer reading to key stakeholders - library administrators, school administrators and teachers, parents, and children and teens
  • Module Two: Organizing the Program
    • Ways to measure participation - reading books, counting time read, etc.
    • To give or not to give prizes
    • How many rules do you really need?
    • Approaching community businesses for support
    • One for all vs. two programs - one for teens and one for children
    • Evaluation is as important as implementation
  • Module Three: Promoting the Program and Publicizing Summer Reading Events
    • Working with the media - print and radio/television
    • Flyers, public service announcements, signs, etc.
  • Module Four: Getting Some Help From Your Friends, or Don't Reinvent the Wheel
    • Sample programs
    • Cheap and cheerful crafts
    • Resource lists
    • What I am doing that works every time
    • Utilizing volunteers

Online Learning Details:
This four-week course will be taught online using the web. When you register, you will receive a registration confirmation that will include the URL to get to the course, as well as a username and password.

Every student proceeds through the online learning modules at his or her own pace. Students should expect to commit to spending a minimum of 2 to 2½ hours per week on this course in order to be successful. You can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night. However, you will be expected to log in to the course each week to do that week's assignment. We ask that you log in sometime during the first week of the course to begin the course work.

Your instructor will be available for limited consultation support for two weeks after the official end date of a course, and the course material will stay up for an additional two weeks after that, to give those who have fallen behind time to work independently on the course. However, you will be expected to accomplish the majority of the course in synchronization with your peers during the first four weeks.

Prerequisites:
This course is taught over the web. You must:

  • Have an Internet connection and Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher.
  • Be able to save Microsoft Word .doc or Adobe .pdf files to your computer and print them out. (For .doc files, a free Word Viewer is available at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?displaylang=en. Search for "Word Viewer." For .pdf files, a free Adobe Acrobat Reader is available at http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/main.html).
  • Be comfortable navigating on the web and navigating back and forward on a website that uses frames.
  • Having access to software to make pdf documents would be very helpful

To be most successful in this course you should be willing to share information with your colleagues and be willing to spend time reading and participating in the weekly discussion boards.

System Requirements: The online learning product that Infopeople uses is called Angel. The following are minimum system requirements for using Angel. You will need access to a computer that has at least these specifications to participate in an online course:

  • Windows:
    • Internet Explorer 6.0 and above, Netscape 7.1 and above, or Firefox 1.5 and above
  • Macintosh:
    • Mozilla 1.4 and above (which is the same engine as Netscape 7.1), Safari 2.0 and above, or Firefox 1.5 and above
    • OS X and above (OS 9 will NOT work with our online learning product)

If you are not comfortable with any of the above, please consider taking this course with a colleague who does meet these requirements.

Course Start: This 4-week-long online learning course starts on February 6, 2007.

Available for contracting: 
No