8Mar, 2023
    Arizona Cardinals Fund Summer Reading Buddies

    Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library would like to thank Arizona Cardinals Charities for donating $5,000 toward the Summer Reading Buddies program in 2023.

    The program is designed to mitigate the “Summer Slide,” the loss of reading and writing skills over summer vacation that delays learning during the new school year.

    The target audience for this program is 30 to 40 first to fourth graders in South Scottsdale. It last ran in 2019, providing six weeks of services for an average of 22 students.

    The money will be used to purchase new Chromebook laptops to incorporate a technology component during summer reading. Since the program is volunteer-led, costs are restricted to technology, subscriptions, supplies, and refreshments.

    You can find dates for this program on the Scottsdale Public Library website. To learn more about programs funded by the Friends, visit our Programs page.

    21Jun, 2022
    Friends Sponsors Summer Reading Program & Girls in STEM

    For the third year in a row, the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is supporting the Summer Reading Program (SRP) to fund prizes for recipients of all ages.

    The theme of this year’s program is “Oceans of Possibilities,” and many of the prizes purchased by the Friends are sea themed. This includes beach balls, fish squirters, and stickers. The Friends also supplied items for teen volunteers helping with the program.

    The program runs from June 1 through August 1, and participants will receive one point for every minute they log of reading time at https://maricopacountyreads.org. Over 4,000 people have already registered.

    Prizes can be earned starting at 250 points, so there is plenty of time left to participate. Other prizes this year include vouchers from Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, Peter Piper Pizza, Raising Cane’s, and Rubio’s, Phoenix Mercury tickets, and an Arizona State Parks pass.

    The Friends is also supporting the Girls in STEM program, which takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June and July at Civic Center Library. This program promotes careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) for female students (though males are allowed to participate) in sixth through eight grade with 90 minute sessions of hands-on activities.

    Friends’ funding will support supplies including forensic science kits, chemistry sets, and star gazing kits, in addition to speakers and specialists on STEM topics.

    You can support these and other free programs at Scottsdale Public Library branches through a Friends membership.

    29Jun, 2021
    Friends Supports 2021 Summer Reading Program

    The Summer Reading Program (SRP) is off and running, and once again the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is helping to fund the prize packs for those who complete the program.

    Teen prize pack for 2021 Summer Reading Program

    The SRP runs from June 1 through August 1, 2021, and is open to readers of all ages. It is not too late to sign up, and anyone who reaches 1,000 points is eligible to receive a prize pack after August 2 (while supplies last).

    You’ll receive one point for every minute read, and you can also receive additional points by completing online challenges or attending events. Children can also pick-up a free gameboard at any Scottsdale Public Library branch during open hours, as well as drive-thru windows and curbside pickup.

    To register for the Summer Reading Program, visit https://maricopacountyreads.org.

    19May, 2020
    Friends Sponsors 2020 Summer Reading Program

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is proud to support this year’s Scottsdale Public Library Summer Reading Program (SRP), which will run from June 1 through August 1, 2020.

    Designed to encourage literacy at all ages, kids, teens, and adults log each minute they read over two months online to earn points. The goal is to read at least 20 minutes each day to build a lifelong reading habit.

    There will also be reading challenges and library programs with secret codes.

    Many of the events will be held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 virus. These include yoga storytimes, Shark Week family storytime, a series with McDowell Sonoran Preserve, craft programs, and trivia games for teens and adults.

    Kids can pick up a bilingual gameboard at Civic Center Library through the drive thru windows at the Appaloosa, Arabian and Mustang branches or curbside from Civic Center starting May 26, or at service desks when the Library reopens in early June.

    Participants who complete the program will receive completion prize packets during August, while supplies last. The Friends contributed towards the purchase of this year’s prizes, which will include books, journals, stickers, and water bottles.