will there be a summer reading program in your town

[imgoingtodisney]

this summer? or will it be eliminated due to budget cuts?

We are hearing rumors we may not have both the summer story hours and the summer reading program. What a shame.
1) If there is skeleton staff we cant have story hours.
2) The kids have come to expect small prizes/party at the end of the summer for participating in the summer reading program. With no money we cant give out prizes.

Any idea on how to still get these kids to read?

 

[tar heel]

Yes, we still will have a summer reading program. Our libraries are NOT state funded. Our state government is having a budget crisis, but our local govenment is in better shape b/c we're in a very rapidly growing area. I don't anticipate any major libary cuts -- what will happen is they won't get the increases they need to keep up with the growing population.

Many of the prizes here are sponsor donated -- personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut, junior Frosties from Wendy's, ice cream thing from Chick-fil-A, pencils and cups from local businesses, Carowinds coupons, etc. My kids always love the pizza, etc., but didn't care for the pencils and stuff from businesses. Even the T-shirts (which are not free) have a sponsor's name on them.

At our library, there is an end-of-summer carnival that does have the small junky prizes (think Oriental Trading) -- no idea whether there will be cutbacks in that. There also are drawings each week for bigger prizes -- not sure about that.

The performances (puppets, singers, etc.) are on as scheduled -- I know that b/c the Arts Council, which I work for, co-sponsors.