Absolutely. Although we highly encourage library use, we’re just happy to encourage reading in general. 

The Summer Reading 2026 theme is Unearth a Story. This year's theme underscores the joy of discovery that reading brings and that every person and every community have stories waiting to be found and shared – through books, programs, and local knowledge. The program is designed to inspire and engage readers of all ages to dig into having fun while learning. 

Children, teens, and adults of all ages are welcome and encouraged to join the fun.

The Pre-Readers age group (0-5) will complete the same time tracker. Their hours can be completed by attending library activities like Story Time and/or by completing activities based on early literacy practices (singing, talking, playing, writing, and reading).

Some ideas for early literacy activities are:

• Sing children’s songs or nursery rhymes to or with your child.
• Use finger paint to draw shapes and letters.
• Help your child paint or draw a picture.
• Play at a local park.
• Play a hand motion game like patty-cake or a fingerplay song like Itsy Bitsy Spider.
• Read to or with your child.

Each participant needs to be registered separately. If you are signing up your family, you will need to complete the registration process for each individual. 

You can pick up a time tracker from the library or download the time tracker form (click on the above link to download) and color in a space for each hour you read or activity that you complete. At least 5 hours of the 10 hours on the game board should be reading. Reading can include being read to, reading to someone, reading by yourself, or listening to an audiobook. The other 5 hours can be spent participating in summer activities, art-related activities to fit this year's Color Our World theme, or more reading. All age groups use the same time tracker.

An activity is anything that encourages participants to get involved with our theme. Summertime activities and reading-related activities are also suggested. For this year’s theme of "Unearth a Story", here are some ideas for activities involving sensory play, tactile exploration, stress relief, and STEAM skills:​

• Host a "dino dig" to look for fossils.
• Go on a treasure hunt for rocks.
• Make mud pies or paint with mud.
• Explore the soil to find worms and learn about composting.
• Watch a video about paleontology.  
• Play with dinosaur finger puppets.
• Sculpt dinosaur bones out of clay.
• Create a dinosaur terrarium.
• Bake dinosaur footprint cookies.
• Measure and compare your height with dinosaur heights.
• Make a "soil-arium" with a glass jar, newspaper, and food scraps. 
• Experiment with building with wet and dry sand.
• Create a "construction zone" with construction vehicles and dirt.
• Plant seedlings in a pot and record their growth. 
• Practice shoveling different items into a bucket.
• Fill a tub with sand and use an excavator to dig out objects. 
• Draw a treasure map to look for things found in nature (plants, rocks, and trees). 
• Build a makeshift tunnel out of sheets and other household items. 
• Start a collection of rocks and gemstones.
• Have a "show and tell" session with construction toys. 
• Listen to a family member read a story.
• Start a book club with a book buddy.

You don’t have to record your activities. On your time tracker, you color in each number block as you complete an hour of an activity (such as a library program or outside activity) or an hour of reading.

No, tracking the books you read is more for your own benefit. It is not required to complete the program.

Your time tracker can be turned in anytime starting from Friday, June 13th until Friday, July 18th. You can bring it into the library and hand it to a front desk staff member. We will call you when your prize for completing the time tracker is ready to be picked up!

You do not have to go to any of the Summer Reading library programs. Programs are a bonus that we provide for our readers. However, attending programs can count towards your total hours on your time tracker.

You can’t get another time tracker, but you can enter our Extreme Reader Challenge by filling out extreme reader slips. You can complete as many extreme reader slips as you want.

For Children, for every 3 extra hours you read, your name is added to a drawing for more prizes.  

For Teens, for every 5 extra hours you read, your name is added to a drawing for more prizes.  

For Adults, for every 5 extra hours you read, your name is added to a drawing for more prizes.