Summer Reading FAQ

What is the Summer Reading Program?
Why should I sign up my child or myself?
What are the page goals? What does that mean?
What is Reader Zone?
Do I have to read library books?
What if my child isn’t old enough to read on their own?
If my child or myself reads a book more than once, can I track those pages?
Can I count audiobooks?
How long do we have to reach our pages read goal?
What are the prizes for finishing?
How do I get my prizes?
How do I enter the grand prize drawings?
How can I earn raffle tickets?
What are the grand prizes?
I’m not very tech-savvy. Do I have to track pages with the Reader Zone app?

What is the Summer Reading Program?
The JCML Summer Reading Program (SRP) is our annual program designed to keep kids – and adults – interested in reading during the summer months to help them maintain their reading skills until school begins. We have weekly book drawings for participants and hold programs on Fridays in the Services building auditorium. For the 2023 program, “Read Beyond the Beaten Path,” we have scheduled magician John O’Bryant, STEM-based performance group Talewise, the Texas Snake Man, and the Texas Zoo. We will also be showing a movie and hosting an author visit! Finally, we’ll have a Summer Reading Wrap-Up with games, crafts, and prizes to celebrate everyone’s hard work this summer. Beginning May 30th, you can come by the library to register and download the Reader Zone app, then on June 5th start logging your books! See our Summer Reading page for all the dates and info!

Why should I sign up my child or myself?
Reading is an important skill that we use our entire lives! Starting a child reading at an early age helps foster a love of books, something that stays with us as we grow older. Our SRP not only encourages reading but helps to make it fun and exciting so everyone wants to keep reading. This year, we are offering prizes when participants reach a certain page goal based on their age, which also acts as an incentive to keep reading!

What are the page goals? What does that mean?
For 2023, we are again asking each participant to reach a “pages read” goal, and each reader that completes their goal for their age group will receive a prize. We hope by doing this, each reader will feel a sense of accomplishment and pride at reaching a goal instead of feeling discouraged even if they aren’t a top reader. However, just because you reach your goal doesn’t mean we want you to stop reading! We are bringing back the top reader prizes! The top 3 participants in each age group that read the most pages will receive a trophy and an additional prize donated by the Friends of the Library. The page goals for each age group are:
-Ages 1-4: 450 pages
-Ages 5-7: 750 pages
-Ages 8-11: 900 pages
-Ages 12-17: 1150 pages
-Ages 18+: 1500 pages

What is Reader Zone?
Reader Zone is a free app for your smart phone or tablet available for download in the App Store or Google Play that we use to track reading for our SRP. We’ve used it several years now and everyone seems to like it so we decided to use it again. Once you’ve registered in the library for the SRP, you will get access to the app to begin tracking pages beginning June 5th. See our Summer Reading page for links to the download the app.

Do I have to read library books?
No! We would love for you to visit the library and check out our books, but books read at daycare or grandparents’ or babysitters’ house, books checked out from other libraries, books borrowed from our Friends‘ Little Libraries, books from anywhere can be counted! We just encourage you to read!

What if my child isn’t old enough to read on their own?
You can absolutely read aloud to your child and count those as pages read for the child!

If my child or myself reads a book more than once, can I track those pages?
No, we ask that you only log each book read once, no matter how many times you read it.

Can I count audiobooks?
Yes, you can count audiobooks. Since we ask you to log pages read, you can look up the book on Amazon or Goodreads or our catalog to find the number of pages in the hardcover/paperback version of the book.

How long do we have to reach our pages read goal?
This year, the Summer Reading Program will run for 6 weeks, beginning Monday, June 5th, and the last day to log books on Friday, July 14th.

What are the prizes for finishing?
At this time, we are still determining exact prizes, but each participant that completes the reading goal for their age group can come by the library for a prize.

How do I get my prizes?
Just come by the library once you reach your goal. We will confirm that you finished and you’ll be able to select a prize!

How do I enter the grand prize drawings?
This year, we are going to have multiple grand prizes for teens/adult and children participants. It will be up to the participant to decide which prize to put their tickets toward. When you turn in your badge log (reading log for the adults) the last week of the program, July 17 – 20, you’ll receive your tickets and can then place them in the bucket for the prize you hope to win!

How can I earn raffle tickets?
Raffle tickets are earned by collecting badges all summer. Badges can be earned by attending Summer Reading events, library programs, reaching reading goals, or completing outdoor activities. When you register for the Summer Reading Program, you’ll receive a badge log that has spaces for the different badges available to earn this summer. Each badge collected earns 5 tickets; earn every badge for an additional 10 tickets. (For our adult participants, we are asking you to complete a reading log of every book you read. Each book earns 5 tickets; read 5 books and earn an additional 10 tickets.) There is also a space for a bonus badge: watch for details on how to earn that badge! Collect and keep up with your badges & badge log all summer, then turn them in the last week of the program, July 17 – 20. You’ll receive your tickets to place in the buckets of the prize(s) you hope to win! Badges & tickets will be the responsibility of the participant.

What are the grand prizes?
At this time, they are TBD, but we are going to have several to choose from. We will have children-specific prizes and teen/adult-specific prizes. Stay tuned!

I’m not very tech-savvy. Do I have to track pages with the Reader Zone app?
Unfortunately, yes, this is the only way we are tracking pages this year. If you have questions or would like a quick tutorial, please come by the library and any librarian will be happy to help you.