For all ages!

May 19 – July 11

Registration Starts May 19

Read & Win The Challenge How to Register Track Reading What to Read Prizes Events Performers Why Participate Questions Beanstack Search for Books

Read and Win Prizes

The library challenges kids, teens, and adults to read this summer for a chance to earn grand prizes! We have a challenge for each age group that runs from May 19 – July 11.

The Challenge

To be eligible to enter the grand prize drawing, participants must complete the challenge by reading and logging the required amount of time for their age group by July 11. (Grade levels listed below are for the upcoming school year.)

• Kids (birth – 5th grade): Read or be read to 12 hours. No book reviews are required for kids. For kids not yet reading, being read to counts.
• Teens (6th – 12th grade): Read 16 hours. Reading out loud to younger children counts!
• Adults (18 and older): Read 16 hours. Reading out loud to younger children counts!

How to Register

Registration starts May 19. We have three options for registering and participating.

• Option 1: Register online through Beanstack.
  • If you already have a Beanstack account, there’s no need to create a new one. Simply log into your existing account to access the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge for the appropriate age group.
  • If you don’t have a Beanstack account, do the following:
    1. Go to https://ngrl.beanstack.org
    2. Click on “Register an individual or family” ***Please, one account per household. You can add multiple readers of all ages under a single account.***
    3. Fill in the requested information and submit.
    4. Select challenges for each reader.
• Option 2: Go mobile. Download the free Beanstack Tracker app from the App Store or Google Play and search the “Northwest Georgia Regional Library System” as your site. Tap “Discover” to locate and join the appropriate Challenge.
• Option 3: Visit your local branch to register in person and get a paper log.
  • Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library: 310 Cappes Street, Dalton, GA 30720
  • Calhoun-Gordon County Public Library: 100 N. Park Avenue, Calhoun, GA 30701
  • Chatsworth-Murray County Public Library: 706 Old Dalton Ellijay Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705

Track Your Reading

Start tracking your reading on May 19 and finish by July 11. You have three options to log your reading.

• Option 1: Log your reading online using a browser. Logging in Beanstack will award you with virtual badges; for each hour read, one gray badge will change to full color and appear in the “Earned Badges” tab. All badges must be earned by July 11 for the reader to be entered in prize drawings.
  • Log in to https://ngrl.beanstack.org and choose the appropriate reader in the top right and the appropriate challenge for that reader.
  • Log time
    1. Log minutes by clicking “Log Reading” in the top, left hand corner.
    2. Select the day, and add the book title and author if desired before adding the time spent reading for the day.
• Option 2: Log your reading via the Beanstack Tracker App. Logging in Beanstack will award you with virtual badges; for each hour read, one gray badge will change to full color and appear in the “Earned Badges” tab. All badges must be earned by July 11 for the reader to be entered in prize drawings.
  • Log in to the Beanstack Tracker App and choose the appropriate reader in the top right corner before selecting the appropriate challenge.
  • Log time
    1. Tap “Log” to select a title to add time to if you’ve previously added a title, otherwise tap the “+” and select “Reading.“
    2. Select the reader(s) you want to log time for. Note: You can select multiple readers; this is particularly helpful if reading to multiple children.
    3. Choose “Log Without a Title,” search for a title, or scan the UPC/ISBN barcode of an item to add it for logging purposes. If you log using a specific title, you’ll choose “Log Reading” or you can choose “Start Timer” to time your reading in order to log it. Do not use “Quick Complete” when logging for the Challenge; it does not provide you with a time-based option.
• Option 3: Log your reading on paper. If you signed up at the library and asked for a paper log, you can track your reading without devices or Internet connections required. Paper logs must be turned into the library by July 11 by closing time (Dalton-Whitfield: 5 p.m.; Calhoun-Gordon and Chatsworth-Murray: 6 p.m.)
  • Request paper logs for the appropriate ages at the beginning of the summer and log your reading time!
  • Include the following information on each log: First Name, Last Name, Age (for minors), and Phone Number.
  • Questions about paper logs should be forwarded to your local library
    • Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library: 706-876-1360
    • Calhoun-Gordon County Public Library: 706-624-1456
    • Chatsworth-Murray County Public Library: 706-695-4200

What to Read

Anything you want — books, eBooks, magazines, comics, manga, articles, audiobooks, etc.

Search PINES Catalog Download eBooks Novelist Book Lists

Prizes

Grand prize winners in each age group will be notified by July 30. Certificates and grand prizes can be picked up between July 30 – August 30.

Participants will receive prizes for certain accomplishments:

• All who register will receive a reading challenge start-up bag.
• All who reach their challenge midway point (6 hours for kids, 8 hours for teens and adults) will receive a prize from the prize chest.
• All participants who complete the challenge will receive a small completion prize and be entered into our grand prize drawing. We will award at least three grand prizes in each age group.

Participants will also have a chance to enter weekly prize drawings just by dropping by the library and being a registered participant of the reading challenge.

Events

We will offer in-person programs, like fun, themed crafts and activities, and special performers! We will not be offering virtual programs this year. Times and dates can be found on our calendar. Click on the name of one of the main performers below to see a list of their events. You can also download and print out physical copies for each branch, or view them online. Events Calendar

Main Performers

Why Participate?

Library summer reading programs are designed to encourage:

• Spending more time reading over the summer
• Improving reading and vocabulary skills
• Increasing enjoyment of reading
• Increasing motivation to read
• Increasing confidence in reading
• Ensuring kids return to school ready to learn and avoid the “Summer Slide”

Have Questions About Summer Reading?

Call 706-876-1360