Summer is right around the corner, and the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library is inviting WNY families to explore their full library system in a new way. The Passport to Reading program challenges participants to visit all 37 branches across Erie County, collecting stamps along the way. The first 1,000 to complete the challenge will receive a special edition golden library card. Registration opens this week.
We sat down with Chelsey Lonberger, Manager of System Youth Outreach Services, to learn more about the program, what kids are reading right now, and how the broader community can support literacy year-round.
Chelsey Lonberger leads children in a focus activity before Christian Benford’s Storytime, which wrapped up Buffalo & Erie County Public Library’s 2025 Summer Reading Program at Crane Branch Library
For Lonberger, the connection is direct. “This is about public access to the public’s collection. It belongs to all of us, as do the services we provide day-in and day-out. No matter your zip code, no matter your means or your age, no matter your proficiency, we meet and support you where you are.” The Passport to Reading program, she says, is a chance to show off the library’s greatest assets: its branches and everything within them.
The data is sobering. Research shows kids can lose up to 2 months of reading proficiency over the summer, and more than two-thirds of the reading achievement gap in 9th grade can be traced back to cumulative summer learning loss. Lonberger notes that the impact is not universal. “The existing work points towards an economic factor that is unavoidable. For those who can afford tutors, programs, and camps, the summer gap is a small step. To impoverished families, the gap becomes cavernous.” In response, the library ramps up its free programming for school-aged children throughout the summer to help offset the slide.
According to Lonberger, a common reaction is: “Oh, we have that too!” or “It’s cool the way you guys do that here!” Each branch reflects its own community while working toward the same mission. Families traveling across the system will discover different collections, programs, and amenities that all connect back to a unified goal of service.
Graphic novels and heavily illustrated books continue to dominate. “These books use robust and complicated vocabulary words while being incredibly motivating,” says Lonberger. “Any book that is engaging and challenging at the same time is a monumental win.” Kids move through these titles quickly, and parents often struggle to keep up. Fortunately, a single library card allows borrowing up to 50 items at a time, which, Lonberger jokes, should last about a week before families need to come back.
The library’s Love Your Library Month in April centered on a simple message: “Escape the Algorithm.” The response was telling. “What we see from both young people and even their parents is a desire to get offline and away from the screen,” says Lonberger. Her advice to parents is straightforward: model the behavior you want to see.
Grab a physical book, get comfy on your couch, unplug and read.”
She also notes that if you prefer reading digitally, be transparent with your kids. Let them know you are reading a book, not scrolling. Talk about what you are reading. Show them it matters.
Lonberger offers three practical suggestions for businesses, neighbors, and organizations:
Get caught reading. Go outside with a book. It is relaxing, free with a library card, and sends a powerful message to the children around you.
Provide books. Many locations already have informal “take a book, leave a book” setups that make a real impact in book deserts. If that is not feasible, post a flyer about how to get a library card or download books digitally.
Spread joy. This one takes the most intentionality, but the impact is real. Celebrate readers on a wall in your nonprofit. Offer a small prize to motivate kids. Create quiet reading spaces where children can sit down and decompress with a book.
The program is open now and runs through the summer. Families can pick up their passport at any branch, begin collecting stamps, and work toward completing all 37 locations. The first 1,000 to finish will receive a special edition golden library card. Early response has been strong, so if you want a passport, act soon. Library cards are free to all Erie County residents, as well as those who work or attend school in Erie County.
For more information, visit buffalolib.org or follow the library on social media.
