NEWS RELEASE

Just in time for the Boston Bruins first pre-season game, young readers across the Commonwealth received Bruins prizes based on their participation in the statewide summer reading programs at public libraries.

Prizes include at-game experiences like riding the Zamboni, high-fiving the players as they take the ice, or getting to sit on the Bruins bench during pregame warm-ups. Team-signed Bruins jerseys and Bruins pucks signed by Bruins Captain Zdeno Chara were also awarded. "It's a great way to encourage kids to keep reading," said one librarian.

"Summer reading is fun, but we also know that it helps kids avoid the summer slide and be better prepared for the upcoming academic year," said MBLC Director Dianne Carty. Kids who read just four books over the summer do better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one or no books over the summer. "Since the partnership with the Bruins began, the summer program has grown and attracted many new kids and families into libraries," Carty added.

Librarians from across the state were asked to submit names for the random prize drawing. In all, 27 children and teens from the following libraries received prizes:

Grand Prize Winners
Zamboni game experience: Hazen Memorial Library, Shirley
High Five game experience: Malden Public Library
Bench Assistant game experience: Maynard Public Library

Team-Signed Bruins Jersey
Chicopee Public Library
Bigelow Free Library, Clinton
Dighton Public Library
Douglas Public Library
Harvard Public Library
Milton Public Library
M.N. Spear Memorial Library, Shutesbury
Norfolk Public Library
Stoneham Public Library

Zdeno Chara Signed Bruins Puck
Ayer Public Library
Duxbury Free Library
Georgetown Peabody Library
Bancroft Memorial Library, Hopedale
Hopkinton Public Library
Hyannis Public Library
Lenox Public Library
Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library
Medford Public Library
Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen
Morrill Memorial Library, Norwood
Russell Public Library
South Hadley Public Library
Conant Public Library, Sterling
Westwood Public Library

The Boston Bruins began partnering with the MBLC and the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) in 2009 and have been active participants in libraries' efforts to encourage young people to read. In addition to supporting summer reading at libraries across the state, Bruins players worked with libraries to develop the Bruins Favorites reading list that includes favorite books from Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, and more.

Bruins mascot Blades also makes special library visits during the summer months. This summer, Blades visited libraries in Amesbury, Boston (Adams Street Branch of the Boston Public Library), Bolton, Hanson, Malden, Needham, Orange, South Hadley, Sunderland, Truro, and Wakefield.

On average, more than 350,000 children, teens and adults participate in summer reading events, programs, and workshops held at libraries across the Commonwealth. Since 2007, Massachusetts has also offered a statewide online summer reading component through READSinMA.org in which participants register, write book reviews, set goals, and track their progress. Massachusetts was the first state in the country to offer such a program.

The Bruins' financial support of the statewide summer reading program, along with federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding from the MBLC and MLS, has allowed libraries to receive summer reading materials at no cost.