As summer beckons with its promise of longer days and warmer nights, the Ramsey County Library is gearing up to fully embrace the season with a summer reading program designed to ignite the imaginations of both young and old. Launching June 2, the program offers a range of activities and incentives to keep readers of all ages engaged throughout the balmy months. Information about the program has been detailed on the library's website.
For the younger participants, the program introduces a digital twist, allowing them to track their reading ventures online through an application called Beanstack, though the tangible satisfaction of a paper tracker remains an option. Starting June 2, eager readers can pick up their summer reading packets, complete with a reading tracker and key chains, at their nearest Ramsey County Library location. In a statement obtained by the library, it was announced that "Kids who complete the summer reading program will automatically be entered in a Beanstack drawing" with a multitude of prizes, including tickets to the Minnesota State Fair and Sea Life at the Mall of America.
Teen readers aren't left out of the literary fun. Alongside joining the program with their Beanstack accounts, they are encouraged to critically engage with the books they devour by composing reviews. More than just a literary exercise, each review submitted serves as an entry into weekly prize drawings. The stakes heighten by summer's end, with big prizes looming for a lucky few. With a spirited swell of community sponsors such as MELSA and the Minnesota Twins, support for the program is vast, promising ample rewards for the questioning minds of Ramsay County's youth.
Uniquely funded by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and bolstered by local businesses, including Mackin Books, the program stands as a beacon for community involvement and learning. The Ramsey County Library Friends, along with the City of New Brighton, play a pivotal role in backing this initiative.
