NEWS RELEASE

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce that Boston Bruins mascot Blades will travel across Commonwealth as part of "When You Read, You Score!" a partnership with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) to support summer literacy programs in public libraries.

"We really appreciate the Bruins' support," said a public librarian. "We have been recipients of a Bruins visit, and it is a really awesome opportunity and a chance to engage new visitors to the library."

Summer reading is one of the best ways to help children and teens avoid the "summer slide" and maintain skills they've learned over the academic year. It also helps them grow the skills required for the upcoming school year. To encourage children and teens to keep reading over the summer Bruins players, including David Pastrank, Jeremy Swayman, and Pavel Zacha have also helped the MBLC develop Favorite Books of the Boston Bruins, a recommended reading list. "The kids really enjoy picking up a book and seeing that it was recommended by one of the Bruins players. It inspires them to want to read it themselves," said one librarian.

Fifteen public libraries will receive a summer fun visit from Blades, beginning with a kickoff event at Westwood Public Library. Blades is scheduled to visit public libraries in Andover, Ayer, Barre, Cohasset, Deerfield, Dover, Norton, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Somerville, South Hadley, Upton, Walpole, and Yarmouth.

Libraries can also enter a drawing to win Bruins signed gear including, shirts, pucks, and photographs and in-game experiences like bench assistant during pre-game warmup or high-fiving the players as they take the ice. Libraries use the prizes to support summer library programming.

The Boston Bruins have been active partners and advocates for reading and literacy since 2009 and collaborate with the MBLC and the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) to develop reading and literacy programming. On average 200,000 children, teens and adults participate in statewide summer reading programs in public libraries each year.

Thanks to increased support from the Boston Bruins, "When You Read, You Score!" is free to all public libraries and residents in the Commonwealth. Statewide summer reading is also supported each year by the MBLC and the MLS.