Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

  • This strategy can help address educational disparities. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
  • Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Program overview

  • Reducing summer learning loss: Annual Book Fairs provide low-income elementary school students with books to read over the summer. The program’s objective is to prevent summer learning loss, which tends to disproportionately affect low-income students relative to their higher-income peers.

  • Offering students free books for the summer: As part of the Annual Book Fairs program, students attend a book fair in their school building, where they select 12 free books. The fair takes place in the spring of the school year, and students receive the books they selected on the final day of school.

  • Providing access to a variety of books: The fair is typically operated by a school librarian, but may also be run by teachers or school administrators. Generally, students are given the choice of 400-600 books from a variety of genres.

Cost per Participant
Approximately $190–$244 per student

A single study with a rigorous design provides some evidence for the Annual Book Fairs program as a strategy for improving reading achievement.

  • A 2010 randomized controlled trial found that students who participated in the Annual Book Fairs program scored 35-40 percent of a grade level higher than students in the control group on a reading achievement examination, three years after beginning the program.
  • Recruit volunteers: Schools may seek to recruit volunteers to assist with setting up and operating the book fair. In particular, volunteers may assist younger elementary students with finding and selecting books that fit their interests and reading levels. Parent teacher organizations and older students may be good sources of volunteers.

  • Invite classes for a preview: In the days before the fair, invite teachers to bring their classes for a preview of the fair. By allowing students to create a wish list, organizers can build excitement for the fair and make book selection day-of more efficient.

  • Share information with parents and caregivers: The objective of the Annual Book Fairs program is to prevent summer learning loss. As such, schools should communicate with parents and caregivers about the value of summer reading. Students may be more likely to read over the summer with their parent’s encouragement.

  • Connect students to other summer learning opportunities: When other summer learning experiences are available, the fair can be used as an opportunity to share information with students and their families. Pairing additional summer reading with more structured learning experiences may further reduce summer learning loss.