The Summer Reading Program — Adventure Begins at Your Library — runs Saturday, June 15-Saturay, July 27 at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries.
The program is open to children, teens and adults. To participate, stop by the Goleta Valley Library, Bookvan, Buellton Library, or Solvang Library to pick up a Reading Log.
“I am so excited to share this program with our community this summer,” said Kaeley Christensen, the children’s librarian. “We have some great events planned and really fantastic prizes donated by our generous local businesses.
“We have something for everyone this year, with prizes for all ages,” she said. “This is one of the most important programs we do all year because it helps prevent the ‘summer slide,’ keeps kids motivated to read, and sets up our local students for success during the months in between school years.”
Local businesses are an integral part of helping to motivate readers by donating prizes that participants can earn at different milestones based on the number of books they read, Christensen said.
Participants in the youth category (grades K-6) earn prizes for every five books or 300 minutes they read; and participants in the teen category (grades 7-12) earn prizes for every book they read.
Similarly, participants in the adult category (ages 18+) receive one prize drawing ticket for each book they read, which they can enter in the library’s weekly prize drawings.
Families with children under age five can participate in the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, held year-round; and will have additional incentives during the Summer Reading Program.
Reading in all formats is welcome, including print books, graphic novels, eBooks, and audio books. Click here to access eBooks and audiobooks for free with your library card.
The Summer Reading Program also offers special events for all ages. Each week, programs and performances will be held across the three library locations.
There will be returning acts, like Magician Shawn McMaster, along with new faces, including a hula show, presented by Hula Anyone.
Also planned craft activities, scavenger hunts, and the Stuffed Animal Sleepover, which wraps up the program in July. Visit calendar here for a full list of scheduled events.
During last year’s Summer Reading Program, 2,540 community members attended 26 events, 1,918 children and teens registered to participate, and adults read 1,060 books.
The library thanks the teen volunteers who help make reading program happen.