Summer Reading 2023

Click a link below to view Summer Reading Program information

Summer Reading Program Calendar for the Athens Regional Library System
Athens-Clarke County Library
Bogart Library
Madison County Library
Oconee County Library
Oglethorpe County Library
Winterville Library

Summer Reading Program Calendar

Athens-Clarke County Library

Children’s Department

YouTube: CSLP PSA 2023 (Spanish)

How does Summer Reading work?
You can read anything this summer, and earn prizes just for reading!

Anything? What counts?
All reading counts! Books, magazines, comics, audiobooks, graphic novels, nonfiction, e-
books… all reading is great for summer reading!

How do I get started?
Just come by the library and pick up your reading log. Write down all of the books you read, or,
mark down every 30 minutes you spend reading, if you’re reading longer chapter books. You’ll
earn a prize for every 10 books or every 5 hours you spend reading. All reading counts!

What happens if I read a lot?
If you fill up your reading log with 50 books or 25 hours, you’ll get a free book and a bookbag to
keep! You can complete the summer reading program twice to get double prizes!

2023 Summer Reading Brochure – Children’s
2023 Summer Reading Brochure – Children’s (Spanish)

Young Adult Department

Any teen who signs up for summer reading at the ACCL Teen Department will get a free book (to keep!), a reading bingo sheet, and a library punch card.

If you fill out a bingo on the bingo sheet and return it, you get a prize from our best prize bin! No limit to how many bingos you can get, as long as it’s a different book for each reading challenge. There’s a reading log on the back so you can record what you read!
Every time you visit the library, a teen librarian can punch out a star on your punch card. Ten punches and you win a bag of snacks, plus a choice from the best prize bin!
Whenever you check out a book, you get a scratch-off ticket (limit one per day) that can win you a pick from our small prize bin, a snack, or a raffle entry to our end-of-summer gift card raffle!
We have an inflatable 8-foot alien named Steve visiting Teen Area 51 all summer! If you can smuggle Steve out of the library without any library staff seeing you, you win a special prize pack and your name and photo on our victory wall!
We’ll have crafts, board games, and a big communal coloring sheet out all day every day for whenever you want to drop in and hang out in the Teen Department with your friends–or make some new ones!

Click here to view the YA Summer Reading Flyer.

Adults

Summer reading fun isn’t just for kids. Read or listen to books, submit the title and a brief review, and you’ll be eligible to win prizes! You can also attend any of our summer events for additional chances to win. Sign up for our newsletter for more information.

Bogart Library

Children’s Events

Monday Funday Story Times (Mondays @ 10) and Busy Bee Toddler Time (Wed @ 10 & 11, with registration suggested) not included. 🙂

Puppet Palooza
Monday, May 22, 2023 @ 10:30 am
Creatures of the Night Puppet Show
Join Rover Raccoon, Radio Host, as he meets a zany crowd of night time revelers. Learn facts about nocturnal creatures, make a bat puppet and do simple science experiments. (All ages, but best for 2 ½ – 8) Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 @ 10:30 am
Carnival of the Animals Puppet Show
From far-off France, Saint-Saens created an animals’ dance and we’re the host!
Join us for this fun take on a classical favorite. Stay for puppet play and crafts afterwards. (All ages, but best for 2 ½ – 8) Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, May 25, 2023 @ 3 pm
Cirque du Suitcase (The Suitcase Circus)
Join That Puppet Guy, Lee Bryan, for this funny family puppet show. “Animals and tightropes and cannons, oh my! From within a clown’s worn suitcase emerge silly circus acts that will amaze, astound and awe!” (All ages, but best for 2 ½ – 9) Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

(Every Wednesday, May 31st – July 26th) 3:30-5 pm
Lego Builder’s Club
Join us for Lego and blocks of all sorts! Have fun as you build, build and build some more! (All ages, 2 ½ – 12) Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Mondays @ 5pm
STEM Baseball
MLB Players STEM League is a baseball-inspired program for middle-school age youth. The program brings to life the energy of the sport through a board game and curriculum that cultivate students’ math and social-emotional skills.

Thursday, June 1, 2023 @ 3 pm
The Amazing Scientific Mr. Dodd!
It’s the Amazing Mr. Dodd! Will Dodd has been described by area kids as a mixture of Bill Nye, Science Guy and a fun Mr. Wizard. Join us for an all-age Thursday program full of science fun! (All ages, but best for ages 3 – 10) Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, June 8, 2023 @ 3 pm
Drumming with Dr. Arvin Scott
Explore the power of rhythm and drums with Athens’ very own Dr. Arvin Scott. Learn the basics of drumming in a vibrant hands-on drum circle. Dr. Scott is a multi-award winning percussion artist and youth educator with over three decades of national and international experience. For children ages 4-11 and their caregiver. Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, June 8, 2023 @ 6 pm
More Miles Morales! Tween Event
Tweens, ages 9-12, join Jason Kelley from the Comics Appreciation Project for a discussion of MILES MORALES: SHOCK WAVES by Justin A. Reynolds and Pablo Leon. Games, snacks, activities and prizes, too. Get ready for a web-spinning good time! (Ages 9-12)

Friday, June 9, 2023 @ 2 pm
Teen Chalk the Block!
Cover the sidewalks around the library in chalk art!

Saturday, June 10, 2023 @ 2 pm
Peace, Love and Puppets Family Puppet Show
With peace, love, and puppets, you’ll be tapping your feet to the musical beat of this fun, educational show from professional puppeteer, That Puppet Guy. Puppet crafts will be available after the show.

Thursday, June 15, 2023 @ 3 pm
Mr. Damon’s Shadow Puppets: The Bremen Town Musicians
Laugh and sing with the animals in this classic adventure of cooperation and creativity. (All ages, but best for children ages 3 and up, with a caregiver.) Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, June 22, 2023 @ 3 pm
Kitty Kapow Band
Reading is FUN! Just ask Kitty KaPow and Professor Whiskers – the super musical duo who love to read! Come on out and join in the fun as they perform songs for kids. You’ll hear everything from sing along favorites like “Wheels on the Bus” and “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” to their fun original songs like “Scrappy The Race Car Cat” and “Sweet Ice Cream!” (All ages) Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday, June 24, 2023 @ 2 pm
Family Pollinator Party
It’s National Pollinator Week! Join us as we celebrate and learn about these incredible, important creatures! Dress as your favorite pollinator. Make crafts, learn, compete for prizes and more!
This family event is for all ages, but children under the age of six will need strong adult support. Thanks, Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission!

Thursday, June 29, 2023 @ 3pm
Interactive “You Choose” Movie
Drop by the Bogart Library May 22nd – June 22nd to help us choose the movie YOU want to see! It will be interactive fun for all ages. Popcorn and lemonade will be served.
Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Monday, July 3, 2023 @ 2 pm
Star Spangled Crafts
It’s Independence Day! Make beautiful crafts and noisemakers to celebrate our country’s birthday. All ages,but children under the age of six will need strong adult support.
Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, July 6, 2023 @ 3 pm
Animal Friends from Bear Hollow Zoo
YEAY! Ms. Megan from Bear Hollow Zoo returns with several of her native animal friends. We’ll learn, make crafts and meet some fascinating friends up close.
This family event is for all ages, but children under the age of six will need strong adult support.
Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday, July 8, 2023 @ 2 pm
Family Puppet Show & Crafts
Puppets! Puppet! Ms. Donna LOVES puppets! Join us for a puppet show for the whole family. Stay after the show for puppet crafts and gentle puppet play.
Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, July 13, 2023 @ 3 pm
Snakes Alive from Sandy Creek Nature Center
Snakes alive! It’s Mr. Randy from Sandy Creek Nature Center and his reptile friends.
We’ll learn, make crafts and meet some fascinating friends up close.
This event is for all ages, but children under the age of six will need strong adult support.
Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, July 20, 2023 @ 3 pm
Bean & Bear Variety Show
Puppets, magic, jokes and stories! It’s all here with Bean & Bear, back by popular demand. All ages welcome, but children under six may need adult support.
Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, July 27, 2023 @ 3 pm
All Together Science & Slime with Dr. Snook!
It’s our favorite slime-master scientist, Dr. Maurice Snook! He’ll teach and entertain with chemical scientific magic. We’ll bring it All Together as we make slime!
All ages welcome, but best for ages five and up. Children under six may need strong adult support. All children under the age of ten must be accompanied by an adult.

Madison County Library

Welcome to Summer Reading! This year the theme is “All Together Now”, and we here at the library are working all together to have a great summer with you! The June calendar lists all our events for this month, but for more details be sure to look at both the newsletter, which lists all our regular events, and the SRP events bookmark which has our special Summer Reading Program events for June and July. Kickoff for the program is tomorrow, May 31, and the first 25 people or families to sign up will get a special goody bag!

Should I participate in the Summer Reading Program?

Are you between the ages of 0 and 150? YES! We have programs for the little kids, big kids, tweens, teens, and adults!
Do you like to read, or be read to, in any format at all? YES! Physical books count; ebooks count; audiobooks count; a friend reading to you counts!
Do you like fun events and learning new things? YES! We have programs from puppets to drumming to learning to sew. (Some programs do require registration. Check the flyer, or call the library if unsure.)
Do you like winning prizes? YES! We have an array…

Madison County Library – Summer Reading Calendar
Madison County Library Newsletter – June Summer Reading Program

SRP Events

May 31st SRP Kick Off – All Day
Come in and sign up for the Summer Reading Program. Read books in June and July to win prizes. First to sign up for Summer Reading get a bag full of goodies! Crafts and games available all day. All Ages.

June 22nd All Together Now: Teen Murder Mystery Night 6pm
Can you work together to solve the crime? Join us for pizza and help us solve a cold case! Limited spots available, registration required. Ages 12-18.

June 28th STEM Extravaganza 3pm – 4pm
Join us for STEM games and other activities! See ALL the fun gizmos and gadgets the library has to offer. Ages 8-18.

July 12th Keith Karnok, Magic Man 3pm
A Madison County Library favorite! Join us for a magical performance. All Ages.

July 13th Where The Wild Things Are – Meet a Wild Thing 4pm
Come to the library and meet a Wild Thing! Join us for stories and a chance to meet and take pictures with the friendly monster. All Ages.

July 19th STEM Extravaganza 3pm – 4pm
Join us for STEM games and other activities! See ALL the fun gizmos and gadgets the library has to offer. Ages 8-18.

July 20th All Together Now: Teen Murder Mystery Night 6pm
Can you work together to solve the crime? Join us for pizza and help us solve a cold case! Limited spots available, registration required. Ages 12-18.

Oconee County Library

News: 2023 Oconee County Library Summer Reading Program

Oglethorpe County Library

Oglethorpe County Library Summer Reading Challenge Brochure

Winterville Library

Winterville SRP Calendar 2023

Support Us

Would you like to be a part of making your library even better? There are many ways you can help, from volunteering your time to joining the Friends of the Library to making a financial contribution.