Set the books free: Embracing summer lending as a stand for equity

By Kelly Johnson (she/her), co-ordinator for libraries and information services, Richmond

The final bell rings and the sound of excited, happy voices echo down the hallways marking the beginning of the long-awaited summer break. The anticipation of freedom from routine spills out the front doors as students head out for their extended break. For many students, summer joy spells enriching opportunities: adventure, travel, summer camps, and possibilities to engage and continue to learn in myriad ways. Yet, for a great many students, summer break equates to long days of unstructured time with little or no access to stimulating and educational experiences. During the summer months, many children, and specifically children from lower-income families, can experience loss of knowledge and skill. Coined “summer slide” or “summer learning loss,” this phenomenon widens literacy gaps and deepens educational inequities over time.

Libraries as an equity tool

Across Canada, public libraries have sought to bridge the summer literacy gap by offering enticing free reading programs, which often include fun incentives and rewards. Yet, for many families, a trip to the local public library presents a series of barriers, such as distance, cost, language, and limited hours, that prevent many students from participating in reading programs. Rural families and children in urban “book deserts” may have few, if any, opportunities to access books.

School libraries can help close this gap. In his book, How to Be an Antiracist, Ibram X. Kendi poses the question, “What if we realized that the best way to ensure an effective educational system is … by standardizing the opportunities that are available to all students?” (1) By opening collections over the summer, schools can ensure all students have access to high-quality, culturally responsive books—not just those students whose families can navigate barriers or afford books themselves. Teacher-librarians curate collections that reflect the identities, experiences, and interests of their students, creating libraries that are mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. (2) Summer lending makes these resources available to everyone, helping to level the playing field. And kids feel comfortable in their own school library, where they have the skills and understanding of how the library is organized and where they can locate the books they love. “I love summer reading because the books here I am more familiar with. At the public library I just can’t find the books I want,” said one student after participating in summer lending at their school.

How summer lending works

The approach is straightforward: students borrow books in June and return them in September. It removes socioeconomic and geographic barriers, supports literacy, and encourages a love of reading. Concerns about lost books are often overestimated; evidence shows minimal loss while engagement soars.

BC schools leading the way

In 2023, three BC schools piloted or revived summer lending:

• Garden City Elementary, Richmond: 585 books borrowed, 5 lost (.8%)

• Sardis Elementary, Chilliwack: 800 books borrowed, 1 lost (.1%)

• KVR Middle School, Penticton: 110 books borrowed, 1 lost (.9%).

By 2024, participation increased, and losses were negligible. Students loved having books over the summer, and teacher-librarians reported stronger library connections and heightened enthusiasm for reading.

Practical steps for equity-driven summer lending

Next to concerns about book losses, teacher-librarians cited concerns about how to get started, how to develop efficient summer lending systems, how to garner support from teachers and administrators, and how to engage family and student buy-in. Here are some suggestions for success.

1. Build support: Share the benefits of summer lending with administration, colleagues, and families. Highlight how equitable access to books combats learning loss.

2. Engage students: Introduce the program in classes and library blocks. Survey students to involve them in shaping the program—number of books, genres, and ideas.

3. Family agreements: Send home simple contracts outlining responsibilities for caring for books. Record loans to track participation.

4. Set clear dates: Schedule open library lending just before summer break. Communicate widely to ensure all students know how to participate.

5. Document and share impact: Track loans, collect student feedback, and highlight outcomes with staff, families, and the community to reinforce the equity impact.

Student voices

Students consistently report enjoying summer lending, reading more, and wanting it to continue. Teacher-librarians observe increased engagement and stronger connections to the library—evidence that equitable access to books transforms learning opportunities.

Conclusion

Summer lending is a low-cost, high-impact strategy to advance equity in education. It ensures all students—especially those most at risk of summer learning loss—have access to books and the joy of reading. As Foundations for School Library Learning Commons in Canada notes, “… the library program must make a difference to the lives of students in terms of learning, cultural understanding and well-being." (3) Summer lending puts this principle into action.

For educators, the takeaway is clear: opening school libraries over the summer is a practical, socially just way to put opportunity in every student’s hands. The process is simple, the risks are low, and the benefits—particularly for marginalized students—are enormous.

1 Ibram X. Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist, One World, 2019

2 Rudine Sims Bishop, “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors,” Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books from the Classroom, 6, No. 3, Summer 1990: scenicregional.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Mirrors-Windows-and-Sliding-Glass-Doors.pdf

3 Foundations for School Library Learning Commons in Canada: A Framework for Success, Canadian School Libraries, 2023: canadianschoollibraries.ca/foundations-frameworks