Libraries as Foundational Learning Anchors: Reflections from the NSLA Leadership Forum

This past winter, the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) convened a Leadership Forum of more than three hundred CEOs and executive leaders to think deeply about how summer programs can help close the persistent opportunity gap for kids.

Across the country, families are navigating an increasingly fragile summer landscape. Academic gaps persist, childcare is patchwork, and the cost of camps, childcare, and enrichment puts many opportunities out of reach.

At the same time, schools cannot—and were never meant to—carry the full weight of children’s learning on their own. What’s emerging is a growing recognition that learning is a community-wide responsibility, shaped by a network of supports and organizations that extend far beyond the classroom. 

At the NSLA Leadership and throughout the nation, public libraries stand out as one of the few institutions that are free, trusted, and universally accessible to families with young children. It is incumbent on us to plan and deliver programs and—to communicate clearly—that libraries are an essential public learning infrastructure that sustains learning, connection, and opportunity when families need it most.

As NSLA CEO Aaron Dworkin often says, “Summer is a strategy,” which is how we can all begin to view this enormous programmatic investment. 

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Summer Reading as Strategic Infrastructure, Not Mere Enrichment

For too long, summer reading has been framed as a “fun extra” that libraries provide—or as a program to prevent “summer slide,” often centered on reading logs, programs, prizes, and attendance numbers. While these elements can play a role, they do not capture the full value of summer in the library.

Summer reading is, at its core, about helping children build literacy in its fullest sense: decoding, language development, digital competence, comprehension, persistence in reading, and a reader identity. Research shows children who see themselves as readers are far more likely to persist, grow, and succeed.

At the NSLA Leadership Forum, we heard from reading specialists working hard to turn the state’s reading scores around. Their experience is relevant for library leaders: High-quality instruction and enrichment spark true change and book joy.

Building your summer program intentionally requires staff training, program alignment, and a shift in how we build, measure, and talk about our programs. 

Another shared conversation at the NSLA Forum—one that is highly relevant for public libraries—is the understanding that summer reading is most effective when we treat it as a whole-family strategy.

Caregivers are children’s role models and informal teachers, and libraries—with just minor shifts to our programs—are well suited to support caregivers with resources, guidance, and encouragement. When families read and learn together, the benefits last far beyond a single summer. One critical way for us to talk about this is to emphasize that we strengthen families. 

As a direct result of this conversation, the Libraries and Literacy PLC is developing a bilingual You Can Do It guide for caregivers to support summer reading success. 

It is clear that to maximize our impact, libraries need to lead civic conversations about the nation’s current reading crisis and point to research showing that children learn during out-of-school time. Then, we must position ourselves as core contributors to the community learning ecosystem, which includes schools, local government, early childhood programs, parks, summer meal sites, community organizations, museums, zoos, and families.

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We in libraries serve as connectors—linking families to resources and opportunities—and as access points by removing barriers through free and open services. Libraries are also trusted messengers, guiding families in supporting their children’s learning in purposeful and sustainable ways.

Our language around summer matters. Calling our programs “summer reading programs” can conjure less accountability. By aligning our program name with the priorities of schools, funders, and elected officials, we can build even greater credibility.

Call your program “summer learning” or “summer family literacy” for a more consistent and impactful role. Simple naming helps expand the framework and clarifies the value summer in the library provides. 

It is also clear, when we look at funding and municipal alignment across many programs, that it is time for libraries to shift our reporting to outcomes rather than attendance numbers and activities. While crafts, performances, and events are engaging, they are not our real outcome. 

Our main goal is to create confident and independent readers who have easy access to books, caregivers equipped to support early literacy, and whole families with a daily reading habit. Many libraries also have a workforce alignment component, and it is critical to name this. Clearly communicating program outcomes reinforces libraries as essential education partners. 

Aligning with school district objectives—as the Chicago Public Library has recently done—working with summer meal programs as the Central Arkansas Library System does, partnering with housing organizations, and embedding services within community spaces all reinforce the library’s role as a coequal partner in the learning ecosystem and one with a unique reach deep into communities.

Our summer partnerships expand reach, promote equity, and increase the visibility of library services in locations where families are already present.

As core to NSLA as it is to public libraries, equity must remain at the center of summer learning efforts. Our programs serve children who, for many reasons, cannot access other programs in their area. We see the children who show up with no food, no place to go, and nowhere to learn—but who are hungry for all three.

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But access is not just about open doors—it is about reducing barriers at every level. This means eliminating unnecessary program registration requirements, avoiding overly wordy flyers, and finding ways to focus on the reader and their family, as Cedar Rapids Public Library has done in its summer program.

We must design flexible participation models, as seen at St. Louis Public Library, and offer bilingual and culturally relevant materials, such as the book bundles provided by San Francisco Public Library. We must also prioritize bringing programs into neighborhoods where families live and gather, and reprioritize our outreach into spaces where families already spend time.

We must also recognize that not all families will engage in the same way, and that informal, relationship-based interactions are often as impactful as structured programs. Counting engagements is a critical impact language for these programs. 

To strengthen our narrative, we must measure differently. Participation numbers and attendance are important, but they are not sufficient data. Qualitative stories—such as a child discovering a love of reading or a family finding a feeling of belonging in the library—bring data to life. Together, data and stories create a convincing narrative for funders, policymakers, and community leaders.

For organizations such as EveryLibrary and our advocates, summer 2026 offers a major opportunity. Summer learning is not just a cute theme with thematic books; it intersects with education, workforce development, public health, and family support. It has the power to buffer against the loneliness epidemic and the rising mental health needs of our youth.

Our challenge and opportunity lie in ensuring that we tell our story well enough for decision-makers to recognize, understand, and invest in our efforts as critical to literacy infrastructure—and that our programs are up to that challenge. 

Our call to action stays clear and urgent. Libraries must reframe our messaging to reflect our impact in summer as a critical and urgent literacy strategy. We can do this by strengthening key partnerships, aligning our programs to reflect community needs, and intentionally documenting outcomes and stories from the summer. Consider joining the Libraries and Literacy Professional Learning Community of NSLA for access to free resources and monthly conversations on deepening library programs. 

It’s time to build our summer programs with intentional community needs in mind and to talk about summer in a way that shows how children continue to develop literacy through summer learning. We can also message that, through our doors and services, families stay connected and communities build resilience in their summer learning. Positioning summer reading as essential infrastructure highlights the indispensable role of the public library in the community. 

For more information about NSLA, the free monthly Professional Learning Community calls for youth services leaders, or how to obtain downloadable copies of the new You Can Do It guide, please reach out to Liz McChesney at [email protected].