The excitement builds as our staff busily works behind the scenes. Students begin to dream of summer days while we dream of the Summer Reading and Learning Challenge! Every year, public libraries around the globe offer reading programs, incentives, and fun summer events. This year, we have changed things up a bit and we hope you’ll love what we’ve done! Our Summer Learning challenge begins June 23 and ends August 18.
We’ve added an online component for kids. This summer, kids can sign up online to track their reading progress, level up to change their avatar, and unlock new challenges as they read. Each week there will be new challenges opened, and kids can complete the challenges to be entered to win prizes such as Fun Passes for Upper Clements Parks, t-shirts, and more! We are challenging kids to read at least 20 minutes a day. Earlybird registration begins June 16. Sign up between June 16-22 and be entered into a prize draw for a Family Pass to NS Museums.
Teens and Adults will participate online. This year, the Teen and Adult Summer Reads will be online. Create a free account and log your reading times to be entered to win fabulous prizes! There will be challenges for teens and adults as well. Pre-register beginning June 16 to be entered to win prizes!
Loads of great programs. We’ve got loads of great FREE programs planned all summer long. Little Ray’s Reptiles and Mad Science will be ba
ck in several of our libraries. We’ve got dancing, drumming, art, music, science, theatre, technology, play, and story programs planned for all ages. You really can’t say there’s nothing to do in the Valley! Explore our summer programs on our calendar , and be sure to pick up a Summer Events Guide (available after June 20) at your local library.
Find us at the Zoo. We’ve once again partnered with Oaklawn Farm Zoo to offer two days to get in free at the zoo! Ages 18 and under can show their AVRL library card for free entry. We’ll be there with our Bookmobile and staff. On July 24, Captain Underpants will visit us at the zoo, and August 14 will be our End of Summer Party, with face-painting, games, and more.
Thanks to our partners! We can’t make our Summer Reading Challenge awesome without support from our partners. Our friends at Upper Clements Parks have donated Fun Passes for us to award as prizes, and Oaklawn Farm Zoo gives our readers free entry on Zoo Days. We’ve gotten donations from Nova Scotia Museum, Adopt-A-Library, the Museum of Natural History, North Mountain Coffee (they also keep our staff caffeinated as we work on the program), The Union Street Cafe, Kings Theatre, Valley Family Fun TrailQuest, and support from the Department of Communities, Culture, and Heritage, as well as our local recreation departments. With all this support, you know it is going to be a grand summer!