Summer Reading Challenge

This summer the Adventure Begins at Your Library! The Summer Reading Challenge for all ages returns Saturday, June 1, 2024 and will run through Monday, July 15, 2024. 

Summer Reading is a program designed to engage all age groups in exploring new ideas, books, and activities. As always, the program is free to register and participate. As you read books and engage in the activities, you are eligible to win badges and prizes. 

We encourage our readers to participate in our online challenge through Beanstack (our online reading platform) or on paper for our offline readers. All ages are invited to join the same program and work toward common goals. We challenge the Auglaize County community as a whole to read and log 2 million minutes this summer! We challenge each individual reader to read and log their minutes and participate in the activities located in Beanstack.

How to Participate

Every hour you read earns you a special badge and a virtual drawing ticket to enter into your choice of awesome prize drawings--from tickets to places Kings Island, COSI, and Churchill Downs to gift cards, toys, and electronics. Earn at least 15 badges (including a minimum of 5 hours of reading), the reader "completes" the program and qualifies for a reward--a prize of their choosing--available for pickup in late July.

Readers in Beanstack will be able to earn badges in a variety of ways:

• Reading and logging your minutes into the tracker app or website (1 hour = 1 badge = 1 ticket)
• Writing a book review for a book you've read (1 review = 1 badge = 1 ticket)
• Completing activities such as online escape rooms, short missions, creative play, etc. (5 activities completed in a group = 1 badge = 5 tickets)
• Completing Scavenger Hunts around our libraries, our downtowns, and our county (various activities = various badges = lots of tickets)

And again, any reader who earns 15 badges earns a guaranteed reward of the reader's choice.

How to Win

As you earn badges and tickets, you can submit your tickets in for various prizes you'd like to try to win. Drawing prizes this year include Kings Island, COSI, Rock & Roll Hall of fame, sport tickets, giant stuffed animals, gift cards, tablets, Stanleys, a telescope, and much more! Winners will be drawn for prizes after July 16. Winners will be notified in late July and will be required to pick up prizes at their local library.

How to Get Started

If you have registered in the past for a Beanstack account, you simply need to log in and join the new 2024 summer program. If you're new to Beanstack, create a free account for yourself or your family. One family can use the same login for all readers! You can access each family member's page in the same account and even log minutes you read once for the whole family. To register yourself or your family, visit the Beanstack website or log in through the free app. 

Looking for a paper log to track your progress? Our print forms (coming soon) can serve as a companion to the online Beanstack app. Log on the paper and then enter it later online. Get ready now by downloading the free Beanstack Tracker App or creating an account online. Beanstack Tracker App is available for iOS and Android.

Adventure Begins Here

This year's theme is all about adventure! We encourage you to explore, discover, and seek out new worlds and experiences. Look for many of our activities to offer opportunities to explore your adventurous side. We encourage you to delve into great tales of heroism, epic journeys, new perspectives, and all kinds of adventure. The Library is full of great ideas! Find your next book in our catalog.

Free Events for Families and More

Our library branches have an incredible lineup of events ready for you to attend--from magic wand lessons to wolves, from Big Foot to llamas, from storytimes to crafts! More information on each branch's events (including date, time, and location) are now available on our Events Calendar and soon on our clickable online publication.

If you have any questions about the program, contact us at 419-738-5964 or email kspyker@auglaizelibraries.org.