Summer Scares is Here to Help You Kick Off Summer Reading for All Ages

Welcome to the 2020 edition of Summer Scares, our second annual outing, and although this year is a bit different, I dare say, the program is better than ever.

From the Summer Scares FAQ and Resource Page:

The goal of the Summer Scares program is to introduce horror titles to school and public library workers in order to help them start conversations with readers that will extend beyond the books from each list and promote reading for years to come. Along with the annual list of recommended titles for readers of all ages, the Summer Scares committee will also release themed lists of even more “read-alike” titles for libraries to use when suggesting books to readers this summer and all year long. And, in order to help libraries forge stronger connections between books and readers, the Summer Scares committee will be working with both the recommended list authors and horror authors from all over the country, to provide free programming to libraries. From author visits (both in person and virtual) to book discussions to horror themed events, Summer Scares is focused on connecting horror creators with libraries and readers all year long.

Originally, the kick off for Summer Scares was scheduled for May 7, 2020 with HWA Librarians' Day, an all day event at the Naperville Public Library. While that event was rescheduled for November 12th, Summer Scares forges on.

Last year all we had was that online resource page. [Click here for the Summer Scares archive from 2019, which by the way you can still use for more reading options]. We still have an excellent resource page filled with links, interviews between our spokesperson, Stephen Graham Jones and the selected authors, and more suggested reading links. Click here to view it.

However, after speaking with libraries who ran with Summer Scares last year, we quickly realized that if we wanted to get more libraries involved, we needed to provide more assistance. Since the Summer Scares Team is 100% volunteer, we needed to look outside of ourselves, and approaching one of the libraries that went all out with Summer Scares in 2019 made sense.

Today, I am happy to present to you our "spooktacular" programming guide courtesy of Konrad Stump and his team at the Springfield-Greene County [MO] Public Library. They got on the Summer Scares bandwagon early last year. They generously offered their experience and staff to help us help all of you. Click here to access the entire guide, but here are two sample pages:

Cover

Full list of titles

This guide has a page for each title focusing on that book's appeal, a list of readalikes, programming ideas, and book discussion questions. Just this amazing guide alone is enough for you to run a successful Summer Scares program at your library, but wait, there's more.....

This year we have also created a Summer Scares 2020 video playlist to provide you with more help and content for your patrons too. You can click here for the Summer Scares YouTube playlist hosted by the Horror Writers Association.

Those videos introduce the program. Konrad himself is even there to walk you through the programming guide and give you some of his expert tips on how to use Summer Scares at your library [in person or virtually]. We have videos with the 2020 Summer Scares authors [more coming soon]. We asked them to record a short video to introduce their book, give you some background behind the title, and suggest more reading options for your patrons. 

These videos can be embedded onto your websites to share with your own patrons. And, all of the Summer Scares authors have agreed to connect with your library virtually if you are interested. Please send those requests to me and I will connect you. My contact information can be found here.

Besides featuring the authors and explaining the program over on YouTube, we are also working with HWA author members who have already worked with libraries, libraries which has recommended them and their programs. These authors will be submitting videos introducing themselves to libraries, providing contact info is you are interest in hosting a virtual program with them. Our first one is already up.

Everything on the Summer Scares resource page, including the links to the YouTube videos and the programming guide are available for FREE. You can use them with your patrons, at your library, on your social media and websites, etc.... There are no restrictions.

We will be adding more content to the YouTube playlist and the Resources page in the coming weeks, so check back often. In fact, if you do something with Summer Scares that you want to share with all of us, contact me. I'd love to showcase your library.

Summer Scares is brought to you by the Horror Writers Association, United for Libraries, Library Journal/School Library Journal, and Book Riot.