Our Summer Reading Program runs from June 21st to August 16th. Here's how it works:
  • Sign up at the library or CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP ONLINE.
  • READ! and keep track of how many books you finish - tracking slips are available at the library.
    • What counts as a finished book? Short books, long books, audiobooks, books read to you (this one is for you caregivers!), and most importantly, if you read the same book more than once, it counts every single time! (this one is also for you caregivers whose children keep asking to read the same book over and over!)
  • Forgot your count? No worries, estimates are ok... Do. Not. Stress. Out. This is meant to be fun.
  • Bring your Reading Tracking Slip back to the library every time you visit the library so we can add your count to the overall progress.
Frequently Asked Questions​ 
  • I'm not a child. Can I join the Summer Reading Program?
    • Please! People of all ages are welcome to participate. We especially encourage families to join together so kids can see that the older kids and adults in their life read for pleasure too!
  • Why is it a good idea for my child/children to read during the summer?
    • To prevent the Summer Slide! What is the Summer Slide? It is a decline in reading ability over the summer months when school isn't in session. Reading skills that are learned need to be practiced to ensure ongoing proficiency. Kind of like when you play an instrument - if you were to stop practicing for a couple of months, your skills would decline. So, for children to keep up with their reading skills, experts recommend they read at least 20 minutes a day while on school break. 
  • I'm only visiting for a week or two. Can I still participate?
    • Absolutely! Everyone is welcome to join in and everyone can help us reach our goal. Just think, if you have little children, you're already probably reading a few books a day and you might read one or two also, which might not seem like a lot, but it makes a difference.
  • My baby/toddler doesn't read yet. Can they participate?
    • Of course! Every time you read a book to your child, they get to hear new words, make connections between the text and the illustrations, emotionally connect with their caregivers, and thus, form positive associations with reading - an important component of building Early Literacy Skills!
  • Why don't you give out prizes for reading like other libraries?
    • Research suggests that incentivizing something a person previously did on their own, without incentives, can actually cause the desired behavior to decrease​. The mere offering of a reward for a behavior may lead the subject to infer that the desired behavior must be unpleasant if they need to be bribed to do it. So, by giving out prizes for reading, not only are we NOT really creating a bunch of new lifelong readers, we could be hurting kids that are already readers! The purpose of our Summer Reading Program is to encourage kids to develop a long-term habit of reading, so we have other ways for kids to "earn prizes" that are not tied to how many minutes, hours, or books they read.
  • How do I get my child/children to read "real books" instead of graphic novels?
    • Children won't gain as much from summer reading if they aren't enjoying it, so let them read what they want. Graphic novels are just one way to tell a story. But they can be as demanding, creative, intelligent, compelling, and full of story as any book, especially if they are fostering a love of reading in your child/children!​
Children ages 12 and under can earn Library Bucks and spend them at the South Dennis Library Kids Summer Store. They can "buy" books, craft kits, and art & crafts supplies.
There are many ways to earn Library Bucks:
  • Sign up for the Summer Reading Program to earn 1 Library Buck
  • Fill out your Reading Tracking slip (it doesn't matter how many books you've read!) and bring it back to the library to earn 1 Library Buck (every time!)
  • Complete the weekly activity (scavenger hunt, art challenge, etc.) to earn 1 Library Buck
  • Read a book, fill out a Book Review sheet and bring it back to the library to earn 3 Library Bucks