News Release

San Francisco – This year, the San Francisco Public Library will continue its tradition of summertime fun through books and activities with a new sports theme. The Summer Reading Club, a city wide program to keep children, ages 0-13, interested in reading will take place from June 7 – August 9, 2003 under the slogan Team Up with Books.

The Summer Reading Club kickoff event will be held on Saturday, June 7 at 2.00 p.m. in the Main Library’s Fisher Children’s Center. The musical group Crosspulse will deliver a high-energy interactive performance, combining world drumming, lush harmonies, synchronized movement and innovative body music. The show is co-sponsored by Young Audiences of the Bay Area.

Children can register to join the Summer Reading Club at any San Francisco Public Library. In addition to free registration cards, recommended reading lists and reading logs, children are invited to join summer celebrations hosted by the San Francisco Public Library throughout the city. “Kids can read their own books of interest while also exploring the world of sports, how to be a good teammate, and the importance of historical figures like Babe Ruth and Wilma Rudol ph in a matter of months,” said Toni Bernardi, Chief of Children’s and Youth Services.

The Summer Reading Club encourages children to visit their neighborhood library to read, check out books and attend special events. In addition to library activities, the San Francisco Public Library also provides a listing of other FREE summer activities in the City. “Public libraries have so much to provide their local communities and a creative learning environment for children during the summer is just one example of our commitment to children and their families,” said Susan Hildreth, City Librarian.

Prizes will be awarded to children who read for two, four, and six hours during the nine week program. One grand prize will be awarded to each child who reads for eight or more hours and visits the library at least two times. Books in multiple languages are available for check out and preschool children can also participate in the program by having someone read to them.

Team Up With Books is sponsored by the Friends & Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library, with support from the Bay Area Discovery Museum, the California Academy of Sciences/Morrison Planetarium, Double Rainbow, The Gap Foundation, Klutz Press, Mervyns, SONY Metreon, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the Presidio Bowling Center, the San Francisco 49ers Foundation, the San Francisco Giants, the San Francisco Zoological Society, the San Jose CyberRays, the Morris Stulsaft Foundation and ZEUM.

For more information and a complete listing of events, please contact the children’s librarian at any San Francisco Public Library or visit www.sfpl.org.