Summer Reading Has Arrived!

To quote A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” For librarians and performers alike, summer reading is the time of year that is filled with excitement and non-stop busyness. It’s also filled with stress, the need to be high energy for hours on end, and non-stop busyness. For librarians, it’s the time of year that we both look forward to and dread. We can’t wait to unveil all that we have in store for our communities, but we also can’t wait for it to be over. It’s a double-edged sword, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!

For libraries across the country, putting together a summer reading program begins months in advance and designing the themes can take years. Most libraries either use the theme from iREAD , the theme from the Collaborative Summer Library Program, or they design their own. As we prepare to kick things off, I wanted to share songs that celebrate each of this year’s themes.

If you’re using the 2026 iREAD theme, “Plant a Seed, Read,” consider adding the rocking “Plant a Seed” from Wendy & DB’s 2018 album Home Earth to your summer playlist.

 

If you’re using a different theme, try the beautiful “Unearthing a Story” from Kim Noller, or  check out one of my favorites that perfectly matches the summertime vibe, “Loud in the Library!” from Mr. Jeff. (One of these days, Mr. Jeff, I’m going to get you to Central Illinois to be LOUD in my library!)

Personally, I’m really looking forward to this Saturday, May 30. It’s my Library’s summer reading kick-off and we are celebrating with a concert overlooking the Illinois River featuring the amazing Justin Roberts. No matter where you live, make sure to get out this summer, take in some live music, grab a book/magazine/graphic novel/audiobook/ebook (whew!) and sign up for summer reading because in the end, it really is the best of times!