It wouldn't be summer without a summer reading program. This year, our birthday party keeps going as we celebrate the century with "Happy 100th". Read, complete activities, and log your progress, either through Beanstack or on a paper log, and you could win! We have special programs for all ages, so sign up beginning June 1st. Start earning prizes, from t-shirts and tote bags to prize baskets! The program runs through July 31st, when we'll celebrate together with our birthday bash, the Rockin' Rollick, a family-friendly outdoor event with roller-skating, carnival games, live music, and more!
Click to register for Summer Reading 2021 starting June 1st! Already have a Beanstack account? Just sign in and select Summer Reading 2021!
Youth (Babies- Grade 8)
Collect points for completing activities, reading 4 books, or reading for 1 hour. With each point you will earn a ticket to enter in our Youth Grand Prize drawings (Algonquin Area Public Library cardholders only). Collect 25 points to complete the challenge and earn a t-shirt, free book, Kona Ice coupon, and a ticket for a turn in our outdoor roller rink at the Rockin' Rollick on July 31!
Teens (Grades 9-12)
Count your hours to earn incentive prizes and Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets that can go into five grand prize drawings. Earn 50 Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets just for registering for Summer Reading. One hour of reading earns you 25 Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets that can be used for prize drawings. Reserve Teen Take & Make Kits, Read It! Book Boxes, and attend virtual programs to earn even more Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets and more chances to win. Read for 25 hours to complete the program. Wrap it all up at the Rockin' Rollick on July 31!
Adults (ages 18+)
Collect coupons and small prizes for signing up for Summer Reading and for the first and second books you read. After three books, you'll receive your choice of a Summer Reading t-shirt or tote bag. Every book you read, up to fifteen books, earns you a ticket to enter the Adult Grand Prize basket drawings (for Algonquin Area Public Library cardholders only).
Print a Reading Log
If you prefer to track your reading on paper, you can print a log at home, or pick one up at the Harnish Main Library or Eastgate Branch Library. Track your books, then come to either Library location, or call the Library at 847-458-6060 ext 135 (Youth) or ext 143 (Teen and Adult) and we'll log your books for you and alert you to any prizes you've earned!
Summer Reading Prizes
All three Grand Prize drawings (Youth, Teen and Adult) will take place the week after the Summer Reading challenge concludes. Youth and Adult Grand Prize drawings are limited to Algonquin Area Public Library cardholders. Drawing winners' first names and last initials may be posted on the Library's social media accounts and website, or used in other Library promotional materials.
Just for registering for the Summer Reading challenge, youth earn a scratch-and-sniff bookmark and McDonald's coupon!
For every point that you earn (up to 25 points) by reading or completing activities, you get a ticket to enter in the Grand Prize drawing for one of the nine youth prize baskets. You can choose which basket you want your tickets to go toward in Beanstack, or ask Library staff to help you assign them.
Children age 3 - grade 8
- 8 points: choice of Slinky, Pez dispenser, or Silly Putty
- 16 points: Choice of flying disc or hula hoop
- 25 points: Summer Reading t-shirt, choice of paperback book, Kona Ice coupon, and a Rockin' Rollick roller rink coupon
Children 2 and under will earn special baby/toddler prizes at 8 and 16 points and choice of board book/paperback book when they complete the Summer Reading challenge.
When you've reached a prize point, come to either Library location to pick out your prizes, or call the Youth Services Desk at 847-458-6060, ext 135 to arrange for contactless pick-up.
Youth Grand Prize drawing choices:
- $50 Amazon gift card
- $50 GameStop gift card
- Classic Games Basket
- Creativity Basket
- Decades Toys Basket
- Dolphin Swim Club Prize Pack
- LEGO Basket
- Maker Basket
- Stuffed Animal Basket
Just for registering for the Summer Reading challenge, teens earn 50 Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets. For every hour that your read (up to 25 hours), you'll get 25 Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets. Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets can be entered in the Grand Prize drawing to win one of five teen prize baskets! You choose which basket you want your Book Bucks/Beanstack tickets to go toward. Rewards are also earned along the way:
- 5 hours: Bookmark
- 10 hours: Retro Candy Treat Bag
- 15 hours: Paperback Book
- 25 hours: Summer Reading t-shirt and 250 Book Bucks/Beanstack Tickets
When you reach a prize point, come to either Library location to pick out your prizes.
Teen Grand Prize drawing choices:
- $50 Visa gift card
- 1940s/1950s Basket
- 1960s/1970s Basket
- 1980s/1990s Basket
- Beginner Ukulele Basket
For every book that you read (up to 15 books), you get a ticket to enter in the Grand Prize drawing for one of the six Adult Grand Prize baskets. You can choose which basket you want your tickets to go toward in Beanstack or ask Library staff to help you assign them.
Earn rewards along the way as well!
- Book 1: Churros y Chocolate coupon
- Book 2: Choice of coupon to a local business
- Book 3: Choice of Summer Reading t-shirt or tote bag; a Kona Ice coupon; Rockin' Rollick roller rink coupon
When you reach a prize point, come to either Library location to pick out your prizes
Adult Grand Prize drawing choices:
- Binge Basket
- British Invasion Basket
- Fitness Basket
- Game Night/Eastgate Basket
- Music Lovers Basket
- Photography Basket
Summer Reading 2021 FAQs
You can reset your password yourself from the sign in page. Still stuck? Contact the Library via phone, email, or chat; or use the contact us form and we can reset your password for you, to the default password: beanstack
To update your password tap the little gear button in the top right and choose Account.
We always recommend using your library card number as your username. If you don't have a library card, your email address works great too! Still stuck? Contact the Library via phone, email, or chat; or use the contact us form and we can look it up for you.
Beanstack is our online reading program software. When you create a Beanstack account for yourself or your family, you're instantly connected to all Algonquin Library reading challenges, so you'll get credit for every minute and every page. We'll keep all your stats for you, cheer you on while you work toward your challenge goals, and let you know when you've earned prizes. When a reading challenge ends, you keep your account and your reading history-- it's always free, and you can keep right on logging your reading. When the next Library reading challenge comes around, no need to re-register-- just click on the challenge and you're in!
Of course. You can set up as many profiles as you like, for readers of any age. If you're a parent who reads aloud to more than one kid at a time, you can credit that reading time to multiple children's accounts with a single click-- no need to log it separately for each of your avid listeners.
If you don't have a library card, you can still sign up-- just use your email address as your username. If you do have a library card, from any library, please use that as your username when you create your Beanstack account. Adult and Youth Grand Prize drawings are limited to Algonquin Area Public Library cardholders, but reading incentive prizes are for everyone. While we welcome participation from readers out of our immediate area, please be aware that all prizes must be picked up in person and will not be mailed.
Log Online:
- Go to our Summer Reading page beginning June 1st and click on the "Sign In" button for your Beanstack account.
- Once you're logged in, click the "Log Reading and Activities" button to log your reading or record an activity.
- To log for different readers, change the reader in the drop down menu on the top right.
Log using the Beanstack Tracker app:
- Download the Beanstack Tracker app to get started (Google Play, iOS)
- To log your reading, flip your book over and use your phone to scan the barcode on the back. For Teen and Youth challenge participants, be sure to add the number of minutes or hours that you read. If you are participating in the Adult or Youth Summer Reading challenges, you'll see Activities as well-- just click the ones you've done.
If you prefer to track your reading on paper, you can print a log at home, or pick one up at the Harnish Main Library or Eastgate Branch Library. Track your books, then come to either Library location, or call the Library at 847-458-6060, ext 135 (Youth) or ext 143 (Teen and Adult) and we'll log your books for you and alert you to any prizes you've earned!
Any book you read counts toward your Summer Reading goal, no matter where it came from. You can even re-read an old favorite! But your Library has a wide variety of titles in our collection and a friendly staff that would love to help you find your next great read! You can reach out to us by phone, email or chat on our website. If you fill out the Recommend Me A Book form, one of our staff members will be happy to make some recommendations we think you will enjoy. If you prefer to get a recommendation in person, stop by our adult or youth service desks at the Harnish Main Library or the reference desk at the Eastgate Branch Library. We're happy to help!
They all count! Just make sure to log books you read for other Algonquin Area Public Library reading challenges, like Reading Resolutions, under that challenge AND Summer Reading!