Close your eyes and imagine you’re walking along a quiet path in the woods, winding through the trees. A bird flutters through a beam of sunlight as it streams through the branches. Up ahead you hear a babbling creek and hike towards the sound. Near the bank is a tree with a soft bed of leaves piled underneath. You reach into your backpack, pull out a book and settle down to read among the natural surroundings. The scene has been set for this year’s Aurora Public Library District (APLD) Summer Reading Adventure: Read Beyond the Beaten Path.
This year’s program encourages participants of all ages to connect with the outdoors as well as with the Library. Beginning Saturday, June 4, customers can register online or at any Library location to begin earning prizes. If you have participated in our Summer Reading Adventure previously, you already have an account set up with Beanstack and you’ll simply need to enroll in the 2022 program and make sure your information is up to date. If this is your first Summer Reading Adventure, visit aurorapubliclibrary.org/SRA to get started. Those who wish to participate offline can pick up a paper reading log from any Library location.
Once registered, you will receive a list of activities to complete. Activities include reading, visiting the Library, and some fun choices such as learning how to build a campfire or eating a s’more. But don’t worry, if you aren’t able to physically visit the library or are perhaps allergic to marshmallows (which would be a shame!), you can pick and choose (and even repeat) preferred activities from the list.
Those who finish 10 activities earn their first prize, can tackle 20 activities to complete the program! Avid readers and outdoor adventurers have an equal opportunity to complete the Summer Reading Adventure by participating in the activities they prefer. After all, we want this to be fun for everyone!
Though we designed the list of activities to be fun, we realize that incentives always help. Prizes include puzzles, craft kits, water bottles, and coloring books. Everyone who finishes the program with 20 activities will receive a free book to keep, along with coupons and discount passes from our sponsors (available while supplies last).
The Summer Reading Adventure webpage is your best source of information for all program details and special events. This year we are offering more outdoor storytimes, backyard grilling demonstrations, geocaching, and more! Read Beyond the Beaten Path runs from Saturday, June 4 to Saturday, July 30. Visit www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/sra for more information. We hope you’ll join us on the adventure!
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.