Pleasanton Library Kicks Off Summer Reading Program

Press release from the Pleasanton Library:

May 29 2020

PLEASANTON, Calif. — The City of Pleasanton Library and Recreation Department will kick off its free Online Summer Reading Program on Sat, May 30, as summer vacation begins for students in the community, and will run through Sun, Aug. 2, 2020. In these unprecedented times, the Pleasanton Public Library wants to make sure library programs and services continue to be fun, engaging and accessible to all. Moving this year’s program online will enable the community to participate from home, and phone service will be available for individuals requiring non-digital access.

“Each year the library offers an array of summer programs, new books and reading incentives, and this year will be no different,” said Lia Bushong, Assistant Director of Library and Recreation. “We have connected with hundreds of our library patrons during the Shelter in Place and we deeply understand our community’s need to keep reading and connecting in times of crisis.”

“Dig Deeper: Read, Investigate, Discover!” is the theme of this year’s summer program for libraries throughout the country. The theme incorporates elements of archeology, science and investigation, encouraging readers of all ages to “expand their horizons beyond the commonplace, to engage a deeper level of exploration.” While children are earning fun rewards and virtual badges tracking their reading throughout the summer, teens and adults can also turn their reading into a chance to win prizes, including a Pleasanton retail gift card, a donation to a local charity, or a shout-out on the Library and Recreation Facebook page. Prizes for children, teens and adults are sponsored by the Friends of the Pleasanton Library.

Summer reading participants can register and log their reading on Beanstack, a reading challenge software and mobile app that offers users of all ages the ability to log reading times, find book recommendations, post book reviews, earn digital badges and qualify for prize drawings. Each week, the library will feature a puzzle or challenge that encourages reading, investigating and discovering information and answers.

Special “virtual” library events this summer will include online children’s performances and story times, crafts, family game nights, Book Club and Cinema Club for adults, a local author contest, an iHunt game for teens, and a community reading challenge. Together the library is encouraging the community to read one million minutes this summer. New eBook titles will be rolled out featuring the Dig Deeper themes of archeology, science, and investigation and reading lists will be featured on the library’s new easy-to-use BiblioCore web catalog.

Participants can register for the Online Summer Reading Program at cityofpleasantonca.beanstack.org. For more information on the summer program and library services, participants can visit the library’s webpage at www.pleasantonlibrary.org.

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This press release was produced by the Pleasanton Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.