Check it out: Select school libraries open for business during the summer

Studies show that students can lose up to a full month of instructional growth by not actively reading over the summer.

Dallas ISD is working to close the summer reading gap by providing a range of opportunities for students, parents and other members of the community to beat the heat through books.

Library Media Services last summer opened 31 school libraries as part of their summer reading effort. This year, Library and Media Services is opening 32 school libraries across the district from 8 a.m.–2:30 p.m. from June 15–July 16.

Gay Patrick, director of Library Media Services, said parents, students, and community members checked out more than 70,000 books from Dallas ISD libraries last summer. This year, Patrick hopes to double, if not triple, that number.

To check out a book from a Dallas ISD campus library, parents, staff, and community members only need to give their phone number.

In addition to the goal of checking out 140,000 books to district students and community members, Library Media Services hopes their work with the Mayor’s Summer Reading Program, which encourages students to read at least one hour each day, will promote summer reading.

Dallas ISD also offers ebooks to parents, students and staff through Overdrive. Parents and students can access Overdrive using a student’s identification number and pin; staff can access ebooks using their employee identification number and the last four digits of their employee identification number as the pin.

“We want to focus on keeping the summer reading slide to a minimum,” Patrick said. “Many kids don’t have books at home or aren’t reading over the summer, so we want to ensure we are providing reading and enrichment opportunities for kids.”

Dallas ISD libraries have partnered with Dallas Reads to post bibliographies on recommended reading for students. The recommended books range in genre and focus on material that students can identify with.

Patrick said the district will offer summer school students the opportunity to select one book from an event similar to a book fair at no cost.

A district Library Media Services partnership with Macy’s in the Be Book Smart program, a consumer-led cause campaign aimed at raising awareness and funds for RIF, or Reading is Fundamental, will provide much needed books for children in the summer.

Macy’s customers can donate $3 to RIF to provide books and learning resources for children from economically disadvantaged communities, giving them the chance to become life-long readers starting June 21.

For more information, visit the Library Media Services’ webpage for access to audiobooks, ebooks and other online resources.

Dallas ISD Summer Library Program Campuses

School libraries will be open to serve students, teachers, parents and the community from 8 am-2:30 pm every day of Summer School. Parents only need their phone number to check out books. Come join the fun activities & earn a chance to win prizes through the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club!

Below are the schools with open libraries this summer:

High Schools:

W.H. Adamson

Emmett Conrad

Thomas Jefferson Moises E. Molina

North Dallas

Patton Academic Ctr.

Pinkston

Roosevelt

Skyline

Seagoville

Village Fair