Summer Reading FAQs
What is summer reading?
The Metropolitan Library System has offered a Summer Reading program for over ninety years! 2032 will be the 100th anniversary of Summer Reading in the metro. All along, our focus has been to encourage reading. We believe reading is a fundamental skill and a gateway to success in life. Summer Reading is a community tradition that promotes reading for fun and lifelong enrichment. We create a motivational framework for learning for all ages during the summer.
What's the summer slide?
Summer slide is what happens between school years when kids and teens do not read, engage in learning activities, or otherwise work to retain what they learned in school.
On average, children lose approximately two months of their reading achievement if they do not read during the summer. They typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer than they did on the same test at the beginning of the summer. And these few months of reading loss accumulate over the years. By the time kids reach middle school, those who haven’t read during the summers may have lost as much as two years worth of achievement!
When can guests start claiming prizes?
June 1 as soon as we open at 9am! Summer reading is about making reading FUN and we want to say yes whenever possible.
What kind of reading counts?
All kinds of reading count. Books, magazines, audiobooks, comic books, blogs, and other online sources can be logged. And these materials do not need to come from the library. Caregivers can read out loud to children and count that as both reading time for themselves and the child.
Do I need to have a library card to participate in Summer Reading?
No. Participation does not require a library card. Library cards are required only for those who wish to qualify for our drawings. Library card numbers can be added to a customer's Beanstack account at any time. If the main account holder has a library card on their account, all readers listed under that person qualify for drawing prizes.
What if people don't want to use Beanstack?
Great! We will happily accept paper logs or verbal confirmation that guests have completed their reading. Staff or volunteers should enter the guest's information into Beanstack so we can track participation and prize redemption.
What are points?
They track participants’ progress toward their Summer Reading goals. Points are awarded for minutes read/listened to, as well as, for completing literacy-related activities.
Earning Points & Prizes
- 5 minutes read = 5 points
- 1 literacy-related activity = 5 points
- You'll be awarded one point for each minute you read and five points for each activity you complete. Once you earn 600 points, you'll be eligible for prizes.
- All participants, with a valid library card, are eligible for drawing prizes once they earn 600 points.
Why are we using a points-based system?
There are a number of benefits to using points. Literacy-related activities make the program more accessible to a broader audience. Points encourage caregivers of young children to do early literacy activities and make it easier for them to track those activities towards their Summer Reading goal. It also removes barriers for older participants who may struggle to reach their reading goals by allowing them to attain additional points through literacy-related activities or utilizing library services. The use of points also helps better prevent the summer slide because it enhances the focus on literacy beyond just reading and builds on the summer learning model.
Another added benefit is that points allow us to increase engagement. Points are easy to explain to library explain to customers. For people who enjoy reading and logging minutes as they have always done, nothing will change. However, points create a new avenue to entice people to stay engaged and reach their summer reading goals. This helps us build a foundation for sustained growth in the program by diversifying the ways in which people can participate.
What if an adult wants to pick a youth book instead of taking a tote bag or adult book?
Do it! Anyone can choose any prize.
Can volunteers participate in Summer Reading?
Yes, and please encourage them to do so! They are eligible for all prizes and drawings.
Can staff participate in Summer Reading?
Yes! Have fun! However, commission members and library employees and members of their households are not eligible for the drawing prizes.
When can we order supplies from the Supply Catalog?
Items will be added to the Supply Catalog as they become available. Prizes will go live in the Supply Catalog on June 1.
I'm already thinking about next summer. What are the upcoming themes?
2025: Color Our World (art)
2026: Unearth a Story (dinosaurs)
2027: (mystery/detective/suspense)