Impact of Summer Services

In summer 2024, over one million Californians participated in summer reading and took part in free summer programming at the library. Library summer reading and learning programs encourage participants to engage in reading and enrichment outside of school. BEBS helps library staff focus on equity when designing summer programs and work with their community to support their specific needs and strengths. BEBS focuses on providing opportunities for learning and connection for underserved youth, families, and communities so they feel fully represented in library summer services. This could include creating activities that develop literacy, arts, science, math, technology, and social skills for youth.

In 2024, the Summer at Your Library program further contributed to this project by providing California public libraries with a set of books from the First Partner’s Summer Book Club to enhance their summer services. 

California’s Summer Services have the potential to:

Actively engage systemically marginalized youth, families, and communities

Expand opportunities for learning and connection

Represent community voices

Summer 2024 California Public Library Statistics

68,324

live summer programs

1.4 M+

summer reading participants

645,299

books distributed

263,002

teen hours worked or volunteered

Results above are based on the Building Equity-Based Summers program.

Building Equity-Based Summers is a program of the California Library Association, supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.