Portales, NM – May 5, 2023 – From Aztec to Hobbs, Albuquerque to Hatch Valley, and El Paso to Lubbock, Eastern New Mexico University will again support the largest education program during the summer in New Mexico and West Texas, library summer reading programs.

For the fourth year, Eastern New Mexico University will sponsor a summer reading support program named ENMU Reads. ENMU will provide 85 New Mexico and West Texas libraries with ENMU-branded certificates, bookmarks, coloring book pages, activity books, posters, and stickers for free to encourage young New Mexico and West Texas students to participate in their library summer reading programs.

“Reading is such a critically important skill. Encouraging young people to read is one way to prepare them for success in academics and life,” said James Johnston, ENMU Chancellor. “It also introduces them to a world of imagination, creativity, history, and culture. As a lifelong reader, I have many wonderful memories and favorite books.”

ENMU is partnering with businesses across New Mexico and West Texas to provide prizes to libraries to reward students for participating in summer reading programs.  These partner organizations and prizes include.

  • The Albuquerque Isotopes- providing game tickets as grand prizes to Central New Mexico libraries.
  • The El Paso Chihuahuas- providing game tickets as grand prizes to Southern New Mexico and West Texas libraries.
  • The Amarillo Sod Poodles-providing game tickets as grand prizes to Eastern New Mexico and West Texas Libraries
  • The Odessa Jackalopes-providing game tickets as grand prizes to libraries in Southwest Texas.
  • Eastern New Mexico University Athletics-providing free admission to the first home football game to libraries in Eastern New Mexico and West Texas.
  • Domino’s Team Bam-providing free large pizza certificates to libraries in their markets across New Mexico and far West Texas.
  • Whataburger-providing bookmarks with free Whataburger Jr. certificates to libraries in their markets in New Mexico and West Texas.
  • The New Mexico Space History Museum in Alamogordo, New Mexico- providing free admissions to all our library partners in New Mexico and West Texas.
  • Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum of Albuquerque- providing free admission and STEM kits to libraries in New Mexico.
  • Heart of the Desert in Alamogordo, New Mexico- providing grand prizes to libraries in Southern New Mexico.
  • Dion’s- providing gift certificates to libraries in Lubbock, Texas.
  • Meow Wolf-providing free admission to libraries in central New Mexico

Starting with 32 libraries in 2020 in New Mexico and growing to 85 in the summer of 2023 across New Mexico and West Texas, ENMU Reads continues to support the largest summer education program across the region. For more information on ENMU Reads summer reading support program, and our library partners, visit enmu.edu/ENMUReads.