summer reading program

Summer Reading 2021!

May 24, 2021 by Christopher Heckman

It’s back! The SMCM Library Summer Reading Program will begin on June 1 and end on August 20th, 2021.

The Summer Reading program is sponsored by the St. Mary’s College Library, Archives & Media Center and is open to all members of the St. Mary’s Library community including students, staff, faculty, alumni and residents of the Tri-County area (St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties.) You may read anything you like as long as a copy is available at the St. Mary’s College Library (SMCM) or COSMOS, the Southern Maryland Libraries catalog, or the USMAI catalog. You do not need to check the book out of the library. To get points you must post a review on the St. Mary’s College Library Summer Reading blog.

Grand Prize drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. Open to participants who earn at least 5 points.

For more information visit the Summer Reading Blog.

Summer Reading 2017

May 30, 2017 by Amanda VerMeulen

It’s back! The SMCM Library Summer Reading Program will begin on June 1 and end on August 18, 2017.

Grand Prize drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. Open to participants who earn at least 5 points.

Read along with the Library Archives & Media Center Class of ’17 and earn bonus points.

For more information visit the Summer Reading Blog.

Summer Reading 2016: Read Books, Win Prizes!

May 25, 2016 by Amanda VerMeulen

Grand Prize drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. Open to participants who earn at least 5 points.

The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Library’s Summer Reading Program starts June 1st and ends August 19th, 2016.

The Summer Reading program is open to all members of the St. Mary’s College community including students, staff, faculty, alumni and residents of the Tri-County area (St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties.)

You may read anything you want as long as a copy is available at St. Mary’s College Library, Southern Maryland libraries (COSMOS) or via USMAI. You don’t need to check the book out of the library or be on campus to participate. To get points you must post a review on the blog Use the comment box to post your review.

For more information visit the Summer Reading Blog or email Pamela Mann.

Reading this Summer?

June 25, 2013 by Melissa Rushing

Reading on the Beach by Courtney McGough on Flickr

Last weekend I broke down. I bought a Kindle (a Kindle Paperwhite to be exact). Despite my ambivalence towards e-reading, it’s getting harder for me to deny the conveniences of an e-reader. I’m a reader. Although chasing a toddler around the house has but a kink in my reading style, I still try to get in as much eyeball-to-text time as I possibly can. When I go on a trip, I take as much care and effort packing my reading materials as I do packing my clothes. This little 5 x 7 inch device is making upcoming travel so much more convenient and amazingly less stressful. Instead of trying to squeeze in 3-4 different volumes I can just pop that Kindle in my purse and call it a day. It’s fantastic.

Will I stop buying and checking out print books from the library? No way. In fact, as I type, I have two books on my nightstand from the St. Mary’s County Library. The Kindle is just a new addition to my reading lifestyle and a great way to kick off the summer reading season. If you’re interested in getting your summer reading off right, the SMCM Library can help.

Kindles

We have 6 different Kindles for SMCM students, faculty, and staff to borrow loaded with all kinds of fantastic fiction. Want to find out what all the Game of Thrones fuss is about? Read it on our Kindle Fire. Curious about Gone Girl or Kate Atkinson’s latest, Life after Life? Read one on a Kindle Touch. For more about our Kindles and the books on them, check out our online Kindle Guide.

Popular Reading Collection

If you’re more of a print-on-paper kind of reader. We have you covered. Our popular reading collection has a great selection of fiction and non-fiction bestsellers to help you take a break from heavy academic reading. Take a walk up to the 2nd floor and hang a left. In the reading area you’ll find a beautiful water-front view and our awesome Popular Reading Collection.

St. Mary’s County Public Libraries

I wouldn’t be doing my due-diligence as a librarian if I didn’t do a little cross-promotion. We are fortunate to have an amazing public library system in our county. If you haven’t visited one of the branches in Lexington Park, Leonardtown, or Charlotte Hall, please do it. Their book, movie, and music selection is amazing! A few weekends ago I picked up Tom Perotta’s The Leftovers, a copy of the Alabama Shakes album, and Dinosaur vs. The Potty, a board book for my son. They have fun summer programming for kids too!

Summer Book Club

Since you’re doing all this reading anyway, you might as well win a prize or two for your efforts. The SMCM Library’s Summer Reading Program continues this year and gives all SMCM students, faculty, staff, and alumni a chance to contribute book reviews to the Summer Reading Blog and win prizes.

Happy Reading,

Ronnie

Library Summer Reading. Read Books. Win Prizes.

May 28, 2013 by Melissa Rushing

The Library at St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Summer Reading Program will begin on June 3 and end on August 16, 2013.

The Summer Reading program is open to all members of the SMCM Library community including students, staff, faculty, alumni and residents of the Tri-County area (St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties.) Any book is eligible as long as a copy is available in the SMCM library catalog, the local public library (COSMOS) catalog, or the USMAI catalog. The books don’t need to be checked out from the library. To get points, you must post a review on the blog.

New this year is the preview round. Staring on May 28 you can rate or review the books the St. Mary’s Staff Book Club read this Spring. The more books you review the more chances you have to win.

For more information, visit the Summer Reading Program Blog.

What did you read this summer?

August 22, 2012 by Melissa Rushing

Did you read the Catching Fire, The Help or Front Burner? These are just a few of the titles that were reviewed on the Library Summer Reading Blog this summer. As editor of the blog I read them all. The books reviewed covered everything from young adult (YA) dystopias to Al Qaeda’s Attack on the USS Cole. There were also memoirs, literary fiction and plays. The reviewers were a mix of SMCM students, staff and alumni.

I am a big fan of book statistics so here are some stats from the 2012 blog;

55 reviews were posted
41 were fiction reviews
14 non-fiction reviews
5 reviewers submitted more than 6 reviews
3 reviewers submitted only 1 review
1 reviewer submitted 10 reviews

YA series were by far the most popular titles reviewed this summer. Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games led the way with six reviews, but other series such as Scott Westerfeld’s steampunk series Leviathan, Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments and Cinda Williams Chima’s Seven Realms all made a good showing with at least two books reviewed from each set. The non-fiction reviews were dominated by memoirs including Tina Fey’s Bossypants. And, well, I’m not sure what to call Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Both our reviewers agree that despite the vampires, it “reads like a history lesson,“ but not on whether you should read it or not.

Mandy Reinig was our top reviewer and wins the bag of library swag.

Pamela

Read Books. Win Prizes.

May 31, 2012 by Melissa Rushing

The Library at St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Summer Reading Program will begin on June 4 and end on August 17, 2012.

The Summer Reading program is open to all members of the SMCM Library community including students, staff, faculty, alumni and residents of the Tri-County area (St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties.) Any book is eligible as long as a copy is available in the SMCM library catalog, the Cosmos catalog, or the USMAI catalog. To get points, you must post a review on the blog.

New this year, Cosmos, the online catalog for the Southern Maryland public libraries has been added to the list of eligible library catalogs. That means more popular fiction, mysteries, sci-fi and fantasy novels will be eligible for points.