By Melissa Stan
The first thing students notice when they step inside Johnson County Library is the feeling.
It feels welcoming. It feels alive. It feels like a place where they are allowed to take up space.
They step off the bus, some clutching their backpacks a little tighter, others wide-eyed and buzzing with excitement. For a few of them, this is their very first visit. They have passed this building before, maybe wondered what happens inside, but today the doors are open just for them.
A librarian greets them by name. There is laughter, movement, and discovery happening in every corner. There is a sense that this place was built with them in mind.
This is what Library Field Trips looks like.
In the future, we want to make sure every third grader from every Title I school in Johnson County gets to experience it.
The Big Idea
We have a bold but simple goal: introduce third grade students from Title I schools to their local library through a field trip designed to spark curiosity, grow confidence, and ignite a love of reading.
We are currently in the pilot phase for this initiative and have seen success through welcoming several schools to their local Library through a field trip. Students leave more excited about books and teachers see increased engagement in the classroom. Families are more likely to use Library resources throughout the summer.
Now, we want to expand this program to reach all Title I schools in Johnson County in 2027. To do that, we need your help.
Why Third Grade Matters
Third grade is a turning point in a child’s education. It is the year students stop learning to read and begin reading to learn. It is also the time when opportunity gaps can widen, especially for students from low-income families.
In Johnson County, 27 schools qualify as Title I. These schools serve communities where at least 40% of students come from low-income households. While Title I funding provides important support, it cannot fully address the lack of access to enrichment opportunities outside of school, especially in summer months when school is out.
Summer Is Where Gaps Grow
Educators call it the summer slide. When school is out, many children lose academic ground. Higher-income students often spend their summers building skills through camps, tutoring, travel, and enrichment programs. Lower-income students are more likely to tread water or fall behind.
The impact is measurable. Nine in ten teachers spend at least three weeks at the start of the school year re-teaching lessons students should already know. The achievement gap between children from high and low-income families is now 30 to 40% larger than it was a generation ago.
The good news is that summer learning works.
According to the National Summer Learning Association, elementary students who participate in at least five weeks of voluntary summer learning experience gains in both reading and math. This engagement also builds social and emotional skills that support success in school and beyond.
What Happens on a Library Field Trip
Library Field Trips are intentionally designed to feel welcoming, joyful, and relevant.
Students tour their local library and learn how to use the space. They attend a program curated by librarians in collaboration with their teachers, shaped around student interests and blending reading with play, exploration, and discovery.
The experience does not end when the bus pulls away.
Every student goes home with a book bag, a pen, a summer guide highlighting free Library programs, a library card sign-up sheet, and their very own book. For many students, this is the first book they will ever own.
They also leave knowing the Library is a place they belong, where they can return all summer long, and is open, welcoming, and free.
We also ensure that families and educators are connected to online resources that support learning anytime, anywhere. One of those tools is BrainFuse, a free on-demand tutoring service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Whether a student needs help with homework, test prep, or understanding a challenging concept, support is always within reach.
The Library’s Summer Reading Program builds on this foundation by keeping kids engaged throughout the season. Johnson County Library prioritizes getting books into the hands of children, which is why we give books away at the beginning of the summer. Programs designed to delight and educate are offered in every location during times that most families can attend. Reading stays fun, skills stay sharp, and learning continues.
What Stands in the Way
The challenge is not interest—it’s access.
More than half of families who do not participate in summer programs say they would if one were available. Families who pay to engage in summer programs pay on average $288 per child per week. That cost puts summer enrichment out of reach for many households.
To make Library Field Trips possible for more Title I schools in Johnson County, we are seeking $5,000 to $10,000 in donations. That funding covers transportation to and from the Library and provides books that students can take home and keep. This is an investment with a great impact, removing the two biggest barriers that keep kids from accessing learning and enrichment during the summer.
Why Your Support Matters
You can help a child avoid the summer slide, build confidence as a reader, and see themselves as someone who belongs in spaces of learning.
Library Board Member David Sims explains why this work matters.
“I believe education is the great equalizer in life, and the Library helps those who are less advantaged be great contributors to society. My hope is that we reach those in the community who do not currently access the Library, specifically the lower income kids who have trouble getting to the Library.”
You Are the Missing Link
We have the vision. We have the expertise. We have students who are ready and eager.
What we need now is you.
Your gift funds transportation. Your gift puts books into kids’ hands. Your gift transforms a summer of learning loss into a summer of opportunity.
If you would like to learn more about this opportunity or discuss how your support can make an impact, please reach out to Shelley O’Brien at [email protected] or Melissa Stan at [email protected]. We would love to talk with you.
Together, we can open the Library doors wider and make sure every child has the chance to step inside, feel welcome, and start the summer with possibility.
