Hays Public Library
Help the Hays Public Library celebrate the creativity of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme, Color Our World. The Summer Reading Challenge is for all ages and will run from June 2 to July 31, with fun themes each week, such as community, cuisine, heritage, country, and outdoors.
The library will use the online program Beanstack to track summer reading for children and teens. Through Beanstack, families register participants and use the program to log their reading progress. Staff will assist with sign-up and logging for those without computer access. Challenges have been created for each age group; early literacy, elementary, and young adult.
For children and teens, the Summer Reading Challenge is an exciting way to improve literacy during the summer months. Numerous studies show that kids who don't read during summer vacation, actually slip in reading ability by the time school begins in the fall.
Registration for youth is required and is currently available online or in person. Each child who registers receives a gift. Throughout the Reading Challenge, participants attend activities and log reading time to earn tickets for the grand prize drawing. A prize will be given to each child who completes their challenge by the end of the event on July 31, and their name will go in a drawing for the grand prize of their choice.
Adults participate in the Summer Challenge by completing activities on a bookmark that can be picked up at the library, beginning June 2. They will receive a keychain fan/flashlight when they sign up. Adults will have until July 31st to complete all the activities and submit an entry into the end of the summer adult prize drawing to have a chance to win one of three prizes including a gift card bouquet, literacy prize package, or hydration prize package.
A day of activities will kick off the Challenge on June 2. We’ll begin with a youth art festival from 9 a.m. to noon. There will be five activity stations for kids to explore their creativity. An interactive movie will be shown at 1 p.m., and at 3 p.m., Emily from The Niche will host a painting session for youth. This event is limited to the first 50 attendees. There will be a come-and-go adults only program from 4-6:30 p.m.
Participants will make their own book-themed T-shirt or tote bag. There is no preregistration for any of these activities.
The Summer Reading Challenge will wrap up with a block party on August 1. Details will be released closer to the event.
For more information about the Summer Reading Challenge and to sign up on Beanstack, go to https://hayslibrary.org/summer/ or call 785-625-9014.