Nashville Public Library is uniting readers across Nashville with books, prizes, and community collaboration after launching the 2024 Summer Reading Challenge on Saturday.
The theme of this year’s challenge, “Good for Readers. Good for Nashville.,” connects Library customers to essential summertime reading and learning and opportunities to serve their community.
When children stop reading during summer break, they lose much of the progress they made during school. Some never recover from this learning loss. Already, only about 34% of public school students leave third grade reading at the expected level, according to the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success.
Blueprint also reported that, of the 66% not reading at grade level, one in six will drop out of high school without a diploma; they will earn half the average income of their peers.
“We’re firm believers in the power of books to change lives and the power of collaboration to improve the city we all live in. By combining the two, our goal is to make this year’s Summer Reading Challenge a collaborative initiative that brings readers of all ages together to make a difference in their community,” Interim Library Director Terri Luke said.
As part of that drive, NPL is partnering with beloved Nashville-based organizations that serve the community, including PENCIL, Oasis Center, Autism Tennessee, Book 'em, Second Harvest, and Metro Animal Care and Control. Volunteer events include making shelter toys for adoptable animals; assembling backpacks with school supplies for Metro Nashville Public Schools students; book giveaways during special story times; creating hygiene kits for the teens of Oasis Center and library patrons and more.