It is that time of year.
The Johnson County Public Library is launching the Explore Summer learning program. Explore Summer is our annual program for kids, teens and adults that reminds us to read all summer long. We aim to reach a community reading goal of 3 million minutes together.
Why participate in Explore Summer? Besides the fact that reading is fun and entertaining, reading helps build vocabulary and improves concentration. It helps build literacy skills and increases general knowledge while reducing stress and improving sleep. If those are not enough incentives for you to join our reading program, maybe this will – prizes!
When you register in May in our Beanstack app or a library branch, we automatically enter you into a drawing for four tickets to Kings Island. Each person will receive a coupon for a free book at a Friends of JCPL book sale. Find all the details at PageAfterPage.org/ExploreSummer.
When you register, pick up an Explore Summer purple yard sign for your family. Once a week, we’ll send out our Prize Patrol vehicle, look for the Explore Summer signs, and deliver a bag with goodies to some lucky households. Prize Patrol runs from May 31 – July 24.
You can choose from one of our many finishing prizes when you reach your reading goal — 10 hours for kids and teens, 15 hours for adults. We have something for everyone: hats, tote bags, mugs, jump ropes, popper fidget balls, confetti beach balls and mini stuffed elephants. But that’s not all! Everyone who reaches their reading goal is entered automatically for our grand prize, a getaway to Great Wolf Lodge, including gift cards for food and gas and a gift card to the lodge.
What if you finish early and want to keep reading? Please do! We encourage you to keep reading and become one of our “Eager Readers.” Being an Eager Reader enters you into a drawing for four tickets to the Indianapolis Zoo or tickets to the Indiana State Fair. Plus, the more you read, the more likely we will reach our community goal of 3 million minutes read! If we reach our goal, the JCPL Foundation will provide two free movie nights at The Historic Artcraft Theatre.
You can also participate in our weekly learning activities. Participate in weekly learning challenges to earn an activity badge and a coupon for a local business. You are entered in our weekly prize drawing when you log your weekly activities. This summer, we are giving away prizes like a bike and safety equipment, Amazon Fire tablets, pickleball sets, action cameras, art and craft sets, and a Nintendo Switch. We are grateful to our presenting sponsor, the Friends of JCPL, and many other generous donors who make this program possible.
Want to keep your family engaged and reading all summer? All you have to do is come to your JCPL Branch to register for Explore Summer or visit us online at PageAfterPage.org/ExploreSummer. We are looking forward to seeing you this summer!
Nicole Caudill is a library assistant at JCPL’s Clark Pleasant Branch. JCPL staff members share in writing this twice-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
