Greetings:
It is with much expectation and enthusiasm, the children of Jersey City are invited each year to participate in the annual Jersey City Free Public Library Summer Reading Program, one of the most successful and rewarding programs the Library offers to the public. The program runs for 8 weeks from end of June to August and is offered in the Bonetti Children’s Room at the Main Library and in all library branches throughout the City, it includes children from public, charter, parochial and home-schooled children. The Bookmobile is also on hand to fill in any gaps at local parks, festivals, and summer schools sessions. This program attracts over 500 children each year, who collectively read over 2,000 books every summer!
This year, the New Jersey Statewide Summer Reading Program (SRP) theme is "One World, Many Stories" for children in grades K-5. Imagine all the wonderful places children can read about! The accompanying activities – crafts, movies, and participating in educational/recreational trips – punctuate the theme, while creating lifelong friendships in a safe environment. A separate program theme, "You are Here," which is for young adults in grades 6-8 and up, is specially geared to bring in those hard-to-reach, “too old to read” young adults by offering them special performers, movies, trips and crafts, while encouraging them to read to the top of the charts!
The Library provides a warm, supervised and welcoming environment, surrounded by their peers, where they can listen to, discuss and read books on topics they select, and the program encourages continued reading independently in the future. Students participating in public library summer reading programs scored higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year, and were more motivated and confident in their reading.
The Library is eager to start preparations, for we want parents and children alike to know the Library will be available to them, again, this coming summer. However, due to massive cuts in the Library’s budget t your help is needed to implement the program. All contributions are tax deductible and can be made out to the Jersey City Free Public Library Foundation / 2011 Summer Reading Program.
Please contact me at (201) 547-4549, or by email, saraujo@..., with your desire to help the Library’s Summer Reading Program in 2011!
Respectfully,
Sonia Araujo
P.S. Your monetary or in-kind contribution can assure the safety and happiness of Jersey City children this summer by helping them gain access to a world of learning through reading at their local library, along with access to a summer of fun! The Gold Coast can be made more golden if the opportunity to achieve is open to everyone, especially to our children. Please check out the attached Wish List to see how you can help!
Here are a few of the expenses that we will incur for the 2011 Summer Reading Program. We understand the economy is hard for everyone; however, you can make the difference. The following is a breakdown of expenses:
Incentives: T-Shirts, bookmarks, key rings, erasers, pencils& certificates for Children &YAs - $ 1,200.00
Children’s Trip: 80-90 children, with chaperones, to Keansburg Amusement Park - $ 1,600.00
YA trip: 80-90 Young Adults, with chaperones, to Great Adventure - $ 2,500.00
One day @ Camp Liberty in Liberty State Park for 125-150 children, transportation & snacks included: Children are able to swim, play ball, do crafts, and experience camp for a day, free of charge $ 2,000.00
Transportation: Four buses @ 500.00 each - $ 2,000.00
Craft Materials: Paper, glue, glitter, magic makers, paints, brushes, and other art supplies for 500 participants - $ 1,600.00
Movies/DVDs: Purchase on themes for both Children/YAs - $ 1,740.00
Refreshments: Participants are awarded a Certificate of Achievement at culmination parties, whether they read
one or 100 books. All children/YAs from branches /departments participate in their achievements! - $ 3,300.00
Total Expenses for SRP 2011
$ 1,200.00 Incentives
$ 1,600.00 Children’s Trip
$ 2,500.00 YA Trip
$ 2,000.00 Camp Liberty admission, transportation & food
$ 2,000.00 Trip Transportation
$ 1,600.00 Craft Materials
$ 1,740.00 Movies/DVDs
$ 3,300.00 Refreshments
_________
$15, 940.00 GRAND TOTAL
Please make your tax-deductible donations payable to: Jersey City Free Public Library Foundation, Inc. / 2011 Summer Reading Program. Please send to: 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302,
ATTN: Priscilla Gardner, Executive Director
