The Indianapolis Public Library’s Summer Reading Program Continues Through July 29!
It’s not too late for kids and families to register for The Indianapolis Public Library’s 2023 Summer Reading Program, which continues through Saturday, July 29 at all IndyPL locations.
As of July 1, 19,320 kids are actively participating by logging reading time. In addition, 3,338 adults are participating. The Indianapolis community as a whole has read a total of 13,140,548 minutes, keeping us on track to meet our community reading goal of 16 million minutes read by the end of this summer.
“We are happy to offer families something free and fun to do together over the summer,” said Emily Thomas, a librarian at the Nora branch. “A few patrons have told me they really appreciate how audiobooks can count toward summer reading program minutes. It makes it so much easier for them to get out and be able to do the things families want to do in the summer — road trips, park visits, beach trips — and still be able to listen to books and gain minutes to earn prizes!”
Throughout the summer, there are workshops and storytelling programs that provide participants with opportunities to connect with peers and explore new interests. More than 2,400 kids have attended a summer program or workshop, with more opportunities throughout July.
“Our programming has something for everyone, and it gives participants an opportunity to try something new,” said Devery North, school age and family program specialist with The Indianapolis Public Library. “After our Play with Procreate program, more than one participant expressed appreciation to The Library for offering art and tech programs. After Space Snacks, one patron said her ‘picky’ child tried healthy food that he’d never tried before.”
The Summer Reading Program allows participants to receive prizes for their reading activity and enjoy workshops, classes, crafts, and storytelling programs throughout the summer. Prizes for the children's summer reading program include passes to The Children's Museum haunted house, tickets to Indianapolis Indians games, Eiteljorg Museum passes, and free pizza from Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. Adults can join the adult summer reading program to earn prize tickets for drawings at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 reading hours for a chance to win exciting prize bundles. Adults can complete both 20 hours of reading and 4 of 10 activity challenges for a chance to win a Grand Prize: a one-night stay for two people at either Bottleworks Hotel, The Old Northside Inn, Tru by Hilton, or the Fairfield Inn by Marriott.
If the community reaches 16 million minutes read this summer, all readers who logged reading time will be entered into grand prize drawings at the end of the program. Prizes include Nintendo® Switches, LEGO sets, Target Gift Cards, one of two $529 College Choice CD savings accounts, and more!
The Summer Reading Program encourages participants to give back. There are book donation bins at each Library location this summer to donate new or gently used books to Brightline Learning, a local organization that fights homelessness with educational support.
The Summer Reading Program is presented by Friends of the Library through gifts to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation. Major Sponsors include 92.3 WTTS, Alice and Robert Schloss Donor Advised Fund, The Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund, Indianapolis Indians, Dr. Sherri Lauver and Dr. Kevin Biglan, Lilly Endowment Inc., and Mary Frances Rubly & Jerry Hummer. Supporting Sponsors include Citizens Energy Group, CollegeChoice CD 529 Savings Plan, Corteva Agriscience, FORVIS, The Fort Ben Branch Design & Construction Companies: RATIO, The Skillman Corporation and Davis & Associates, Inc., Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Office of the Lawrence Township Trustee Steve Talley, and OneAmerica.