Ventura County Library has launched Read Beyond the Beaten Path!, the library’s free summer reading challenge. Over the summer, the library will host a range of free activities for children, teens, and adults to encourage and support a love of reading.

Participants may win prizes for reaching their reading goals. “We’ve planned a wonderful program for kids to make the library a great place to read, learn, and discover what’s available for their enjoyment,” said Molly Krill, youth services manager.

Themed events include bi-weekly STEAM Kits and challenges; participation in the library’s online reading and activity log (register at vencolibrary.beanstack.org); themed storytimes; and a closing party hosted by Kona Ice.

This year Ventura County Library is giving away 13 Nintendo Switch grand prizes, as well as smaller STEAM prizes throughout the summer. In addition, once a child has logged 500 minutes, they may visit their local branch to choose a free new book to add to their home libraries.

The amount of time children spend reading outside of school is linked to improvements in reading achievement, the library said. Studies show that access to books and other reading materials is directly related to higher reading achievement.

Registration continues through Aug. 14. For more about the summer reading program, call your local branch, visit vencolibrary.org, or contact Krill at 805-677-7170. Ventura County Library has 12 locations and a mobile library. For hours of service, visit https://www.vencolibrary.org/locations.