In a recent meeting, the icebreaker asked attendees to share their favorite thing about summer in Harris County. Among the responses of “air conditioning”, “performances at Outdoor Miller Theater”, or “my birthday!”, I answered, “My favorite since childhood: The Library!”.
Now, as an adult and a librarian, I know that summer is the library’s holiday shopping season- it's the busiest time of the year. We spend months working on our program schedule, selecting prizes, creating marketing materials, and decorating to the annual theme, all while muttering “Summer is Coming”. Okay, maybe it’s not that extreme, but a lot of hard work, creativity, and love go into planning a fun and successful Summer Reading Program. No matter how stressful and chaotic Summer Reading can be for us, what makes it something I love is its ability to encourage people to become library users and readers. So, when asked their favorite thing about summer in Harris County, the answer should be “The Library!”.
A Work of Art
This year’s theme for Harris County Public Library’s Summer Reading is “Color Our World,” a journey of art and creativity, celebrating the myriad ways in which art enriches our lives. Each year, we work with the theme to create the work of art that is Summer Reading – a masterfully crafted palette of literacy, learning, excitement, and puns (so many puns) that is engaging for all ages.
Make Summer Reading a Goal
Summer Reading is the library’s 100+ year tradition (not an exaggeration) of bribing kids to read. Maybe bribe is not the right word, but we do incentivize the Summer Reading program to promote literacy and a love of reading. That is why the first prize for all ages (not just kids) is a FREE book. In addition to books, other prizes include rubber ducks, coloring totes, medals, and even chances to win Houston Astros tickets or membership to the Houston Museum of Natural Science (Check out all the prizes available). To earn prizes, sign up for Summer Reading on Beanstack and log your reading between June 2 and August 2. Not only are you earning prizes, but you are helping us reach our goal to read 5 MILLION minutes.
To help you earn your Summer Reading prizes and help us reach our community reading goal, here are my Top 3 Tips to maximize the most of your reading log this summer:
Summer Reading is a point system!
Beanstack allows you to earn points by logging different achievements. Just log your activity. Beanstack will do the math and you earn the prizes!
- Minutes read (30 minutes = 10 points),
- Books (1 book = 10 points),
- Beanstack activities (1 activity = 5 points),
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Writing reviews (1 review = 5 points).
Protip #1: Picture Books can be logged for both kids and adults! You know you are both enjoying your millionth re-read of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, you might as well both earn 10 points for logging it.
Protip #2: Listening to audiobooks is reading! I can’t believe I have to keep saying this, but yes, listening to an audiobook is reading (research shows that it even activates the same parts of your brain). Plus, you’ll know the exact number of minutes to log.
Fun at the Library
So much is happening at the library that it’s easy to miss events, especially at a library system as large as HCPL. Here are my can’t miss programs at HCPL this summer:
Art Class for Kids with Frida Kahlo – Iconic artist Frida Kahlo time travels from 1940s Mexico to lead art classes at HCPL. Find a Frida art class presented by Express Children’s Theatre here.
Get Zany with Mad Science – Join Mad Science for hands-on science that promises to be an explosion (library approved) of colors and learning. Find a Mad Science event here.
Snakes in the Library – If you haven’t held a boa constrictor a la Britney Spears, are you even doing Summer Reading correctly? Find a ssssssnake event here.
Musical Encounters with DACAMERA – These music filled learning environments give children and families hands-on lessons on history, culture, and science. Find a DACAMERA event here.
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