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Phoenix Public Library kicks off 2025 summer reading program May 1 with 'Color Our World' theme
Summary
Phoenix Public Library announced its 2025 Summer Reading Program will run May 1–Aug. 1 with a goal of encouraging daily reading and free family programs across the city; registration opens May 1 and teen volunteer applications opened April 1.
The Phoenix Public Library’s 2025 Summer Reading Program will run May 1 through Aug. 1 with the theme “Color Our World,” library staff told the City of Phoenix Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee on April 9.
The program “is about stopping the summer slide,” said Wendy Resnick, Phoenix Public Library staff, noting studies that show students can lose the equivalent of two to four months of learning over summer. “On average, only 30 percent of third graders in Phoenix public schools are proficient readers,” Resnick said, and the program aims to help children maintain literacy skills over the summer.
The program’s reading “game” encourages school‑aged children to read at least 20 minutes a day; each minute counts as one point and the goal is 1,000 points. The program is open to all ages, available in English and Spanish, and the library encourages caregivers to sign up with children. Erin McFarland, Phoenix Public Library staff, said more than 24,000 Phoenicians participated last summer.
Library officials said they will promote the program heavily at the end of April and through May. The library runs free, weekly programs—arts and crafts, STEM workshops, cultural performances, and animal presentations—designed to expand background knowledge and encourage families to visit the library during hot months. The library also emphasized that its branches provide free, air‑conditioned educational outings: “our door count is typically up by 15% in the summer months,” Resnick said.
The library relies on teen volunteers; staff recruit and train more than 50 teens each summer. Applications for teen volunteers opened April 1 for ages 13–17; as of the subcommittee meeting, seven library locations had filled volunteer slots and ten were still accepting applications. Registration for the summer reading program opens May 1 online at phoenixpubliclibrary.org and at MaricopaCountyReads.org.
Council members praised the program’s long history and community role. One member noted a related early‑childhood initiative, the “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” program, and shared an anecdote about a nearly‑three‑year‑old reader who has logged 940 books.
Summer reading program details, registration links, and partner information will appear on the Phoenix Public Library website and in library communications ahead of the May 1 start.
