Public Libraries Victoria was delighted to launch Big Summer Read yesterday at narrm ngarrgu library with the help of Minister for Local Government Nick Staikos, City of Melbourne Councillor Gladys Liu, Public Libraries/Big Summer Read Ambassador Andrea Rowe and Big Summer Read ambassador Andy Griffiths.
“The Big Summer Read helps to get kids across the state into libraries over the summer holidays by making summer reading fun and rewarding,” Minister Staikos said.
Now in its fifth year, Big Summer Read is statewide reading challenge that aims to arrest the ‘summer slide’ – a loss of reading profficiency that can occur if kids do not read over the summer school holidays.
Victorian children under the age of 18 are eligible to register and track their reading progress through the Big Summer Read website, with digital badges and prizes on offer for participants. As part of the program, parents can register and read to children who can’t read independently yet.
Andrea Rowe introduced this year’s Big Summer Read ambassadors at the launch: “the masterful man of mischief Andy Griffiths, the femme fatale of Young Adult fantasy Aimie Kaufman, and the creative couple behind curious and cute kids books, Philip and Laura Bunting. Alongside me, the early reader cheerleader, we’ll be spreading the word about the Big Summer Read,” she said.
“These respected and award-winning authors and illustrators know how to keep kids reading, and coming back for more.”
For the first time, the bookmarks for this year’s Big Summer Read feature our author-ambassadors, their books and books they recommend.
“With our ambassadors all flying the flag for reading recommendations for different ages, that’s another way to help families expand their reading selection and discover new books along the way,” Andrea said.
Big Summer Read reinforces the role of public libraries as a vital community resource for early childhood development and lifelong learning throughout adulthood, giving library services of every size across the state a way to engage young Victorians over the summer break.
PLV CEO Angela Savage thanked the Minister and the Victorian Government for their ongoing support of Big Summer Read, alongside ‘hot’ sponsor BorrowBox, and ‘sizzling’ sponsors Wilkinson Publishing, Libby (OverDrive), and Ulverscroft, together with campaign partner StoryBox Hub. She acknowledged PLV Project Officer Christine Peters as the brains behind Big Summer Read and thanked PLV IT Support Officer Zak Eichenbaum for going above and beyond to get the website ready. Finally, she thanked the members of the Big Summer Read project working group, who represent a truly statewide team:
- Laura Wilson from Glen Eira Libraries and Melissa Bliston from Your Library, also Children and Youth Services Special Interest Group Convenors
- Alysha Ratten – Connected Libraries
- Bec Clark – Central Goldfields/Maryborough Library
- Catherine Mackie – Your Library
- Emma Wallis -Your Library
- Stacey Drage – Yarriambiack Libraries
- Catie Maher – Bayside/Melbourne (designer)
Following the launch, Minister Staikos donned his Big Summer Read t-shirt and toured narrm ngarrgu Library.
Thanks to the narrm ngarrgu Library team for being gracious hosts.
See the website for more information on Big Summer Read.