Carver Cubs Summer Reading: A Public Library and a Public University Partnership

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Nontraditional Approaches to Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper discusses the development and maintenance of Carver Cubs Summer Book Club, an academic service-learning partnership between a public branch library and a public university. Through this six-year collaboration, the partnership provided a multi-week, reading-intensive program which increased children’s exposure to literature, positively affected children’s reading enjoyment, and improved children’s reading comprehension skills. In this paper, we provide a project description and identify the specific goals associated with the partnership. We discuss the beginning of the partnership, how it functions, and the reciprocal nature of the relationship. We conclude by discussing outcomes, lessons learned, and recommendations for others interested in similar community partnerships.

Authors

• Kim Skinner, Louisiana State University

• Estanislado S. Barrera, Louisiana State University