Middle Georgia Regional Library’s Summer Reading Challenge launches Monday, May 24 at 13 Middle Georgia Regional Library locations. The Middle Georgia community can experience an entirely virtual Summer Reading Challenge by using the Beanstack app or bibblib.org site to register. 

“The theme of this year’s challenge is ‘Tails and Tales,’ and we want to encourage everyone to visit their local library with families, friends, and our community this summer,” said Virginia Fulwood, Regional Children’s Coordinator. . Fulwood says each location has unique and fun activities to keep patrons engaged with in-person, virtual, and curbside options. 

Children, teens, and adults can participate in the challenge for free and earn prizes when they complete 15 and 30 hours of reading. Reading is easy to track using the app or website. Prizes vary by participating library and age group. Participants have until Saturday, August 7 to complete the challenge. 

“Summer Reading at the public library is an incredibly important building block to literacy. ,” said Jennifer Lautzenheiser, Middle Georgia Regional Library Director. “It encourages reading for enjoyment and has been proven to increase fluency and comprehension. This makes students more successful during the school year which begins at their local library over the Summer.” 

Middle Georiga Regional Library partners with the Bibb County School District to ensure that all students have access to high-quality reading materials all summer long. Students who do not read over the summer lose an average of 2 months of reading ability by the time they go back to school. 

The Summer Reading Challenge is designed to stop that loss by encouraging kids and families to read for 30 hours throughout the summer. Families can check out books from Middle Georgia Regional Library locations to complete the challenge. E-book and e-audiobook checkouts are available 24/7 at bibblib.org, and holds can be placed on physical materials for no-contact curbside pickup. 

Families can also join weekly virtual storytimes on Facebook Live, and each Bibb County Library will have curbside pickup activities for all ages. Visit bibblib.org for details and complete schedules of activities. Paper registration for the Summer Reading Challenge is available at all Middle Georgia Regional Library locations for those who lack internet access.