1Designating the months of June, July and August 2013 as "Summer
2Reading Games 2013" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Libraries throughout this Commonwealth contribute to
4the intellectual growth of children and teens during the summer
5through reading programs. According to the American Library
6Association, summer reading programs began in the 1890s as a way
7to encourage school children, particularly those in urban areas
8who were not needed for farm work, to read during summer
9vacation, use the library and develop a habit of reading; and

10WHEREAS, Summer reading programs attract children and teens
11to libraries where they can participate in reading and cultural
12activities. Children and teens benefit from summer programs that
13combine elements of youth development principles with academic
14enrichment; and

15WHEREAS, Visiting local libraries provides children with

1access to unlimited amounts of reading materials; and

2WHEREAS, Studies done by researchers at Johns Hopkins
3University in Baltimore show that disadvantaged youth fall
4significantly behind other students because of a lack of access
5to reading materials and a loss of encouragement in the home and
6elsewhere to participate in any reading. Such a drop off of
7reading outside of the school year results in achievement gaps
8not only in school, but also later in life. Communities that
9offer summer reading encourage youth to develop reading as a
10lifelong habit, draw in reluctant readers through activities,
11help ensure children, particularly those in disadvantaged homes,
12to read over the summer to maintain and increase reading skills
13and generate interest in free public libraries and the services
14they offer; and

15WHEREAS, Schools and public librarians throughout this
16Commonwealth and the nation have cooperatively produced summer
17reading lists to enhance both learning and recreation. Library
18officials in Pennsylvania have worked with their counterparts
19from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and
20the Mariana Islands through the Collaborative Summer Library
21Program (CSLP) to provide high-quality summer reading program
22materials for children at the lowest cost possible for their
23public libraries. The CSLP annually establishes themes for
24summer reading. This year's themes are "Dig Into Reading" for
25children, "Beneath the Surface" for teens and "Groundbreaking
26Reads" for adults; and

27WHEREAS, Support of summer reading programs give all library
28users an opportunity to become lifelong readers and learners by
29visiting the library frequently. In fact, the Johns Hopkins
30University and other studies have shown that those who increase

1their reading have greater success in school and in the job
2market, while those who have difficulty with reading may have a
3greater risk of failing in the job field and turning to crime;
4therefore be it

5RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
6months of June, July and August 2013 as "Summer Reading Games
72013" in Pennsylvania to encourage all children and teens in
8this Commonwealth to participate in all summer library reading
9programs and to compete in games and other competitions
10established by the libraries and other groups to increase summer
11reading; and be it further

12RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize all
13libraries in Pennsylvania for the summer reading programs that
14they offer and urge all State lawmakers, parents and community
15leaders to assist, fully support and otherwise get involved in
16such programs to promote lifelong reading at home and elsewhere
17by children, youths and adults.