Summer Reading Program Timeline
September/October
• Receive and begin reading SRP manual. Begin thinking and talking about SRP with your staff and colleagues.
November
• Attend Summer Reading Program workshop(s) at CLA annual conference
December
· Begin contacting community businesses & organizations to request donations
· Determine funding levels from Friends of the Library
· Put together budget for SRP
· Create a calendar that shows days performers should be scheduled
· Structure incentive program in order to determine what types and how many incentives should be ordered
January
· Attend performers showcase
· Book performers
· Order incentives
· Research community members or organizations that can provide programming opportunities for your branch
· Begin planning and creating your programs
February
· Begin planning your decorations
· Continue planning programs
· Continue to research and book community members or organizations that can provide programming
· Begin to put together outline of calendar of events, program outline, incentive structure
March
· Contact schools to make arrangements for visiting assemblies and classes
· Write press releases
· Research organizations that can help you promote SRP (i.e. City Parks & Recreation)
· Continue planning your decorations and self-hosted programs
· Continue to research and book community members or organizations that can provide programming
· Complete outline of calendar of events, program outline, incentive structure
April
· Order flyers
· Recruit volunteers
May
· Send flyers to schools and other appropriate community organizations
· Send out press releases to local media
· Begin school visits
· Finish planning your decorations and programs
· Train library staff on essential program elements, create staff buy-in
· Continue recruiting volunteers
June
· Train volunteers
· Begin programming
Fall
· Complete appropriate reports
· Send thank you letters & stories to sponsors
· Share your success through presentations at your local service groups, press releases, etc.