Library opens the book on summer reading challenge

ROCHESTER/ROCHESTER HILLS/OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Summer is upon us, and with it comes a host of free time to fill.

The Rochester Hills Public Library is inviting children, teens and adults to spend their summer engaged in books and other fun programming at the library.

This year’s summer reading challenge, which runs June 14-Aug. 9, kicks off noon-2 p.m. Saturday, June 14, with free family fun at the library. Guests can enjoy ice cream, inflatables, a nonprofit fair, a potting bench offering propagated plants from the library’s own collection and more.

“We have just one summer reading program for everyone,” said Betsy Raczkowski, head of the library’s communications and community engagement. “We try really hard to make it accessible for all ages, so everybody signs up for the same program.”

Patrons can visit rhpl.beanstack.org or download the Beanstack app and sign up using an active library card. Households can make one account and add readers all in one spot.

Library staff encourage parents of children participating to register themselves first and then add readers to their accounts to track their reading and win prizes all summer long.

Upon signing up, all participants are eligible for a free “Spread Your Library Love” lawn sign and stickers pack, which, if displayed at their residence, could earn them a prize from the library’s prize patrol.

The only rule for summer reading is to read every day — whether it’s an article, a book, an e-book, an audiobook, a graphic novel or a magazine — and track the progress online to earn virtual reading badges for the chance to win prizes.

“You just have to log in once a week if you want, once every few weeks, whatever works for your family, and just put in the days that you read. Every week you read, you get a ticket to spend in our grand prize raffle drawing, and you can select your own prizes that you want to win,” Raczkowski said.

Library staff say the summer reading program allows patrons to enjoy books of their choice, at their own pace, and it also helps youth maintain their reading levels.

“We want to remind kids of all ages that reading is also a really enjoyable pastime, and so in the summer, we want families to feel like they can relax a little bit, and kids can come in and choose their own reading materials. Studies show that when children are able to choose their own book, they read for enjoyment longer and they don’t drop off in that reading hobby, or reading for pleasure,” Raczkiwski noted.

Wendy Lehman, head of youth services at the library, said summer is the best time for school-aged children and teens to spend time reading and enjoying books.

“It is a well-known fact that most students experience some level of summer slide during the months off of school, where students lose reading and other academic skills,” she said. “The library’s summer reading program can help students maintain and even enhance reading skills, combat learning loss, and develop a greater love of reading by encouraging daily reading of books of their choosing.”

In addition to being eligible to win one of 50 grand prizes, everyone who participates in the library’s eight-week summer reading challenge will also receive a free book.

The Rochester Hills Public Library is located at 500 Olde Towne Road in downtown Rochester. For more information about summer reading, call (248) 656-2900, visit www.rhpl.org or email help@rhpl.org.