What is the Summer Reading program?
Every summer for more than eighty years, the Metropolitan Library System has offered a Summer Reading program to keep kids and their families reading all summer long. We believe reading is a fundamental skill and a gateway to success in life. Summer Reading is a community tradition that promotes reading for fun and lifelong enrichment. We create a motivational framework for learning for all ages during the summer.
Important Dates
- April and May: Library visits to local schools
- April 12: Pre-registration begins
- June 1 - July 31: Summer Reading 2025
- August 15: Last day for prize pickup
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What is the Summer Slide?
The Summer Slide isn’t a new feature at the local park or splash pad. No, the Summer Slide is what happens between school years when kids do not read or otherwise work to retain what they learned in school.
On average, children lose approximately two months of their reading achievement if they do not read during the summer. They typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer than they did on the same test at the beginning of the summer. And these few months of reading loss accumulate over the years. By the time kids reach middle school, those who haven’t read during the summers may have lost as much as two years worth of achievement!
The good news is the Summer Slide can easily be prevented.
Reading for just 20 minutes a day, helps kids maintain the reading skills they developed during the school year. Not only will it help them stay on track when school starts back, but with reading they can experience a summer of adventure by stimulating their imaginations.
Signing up for the Summer Reading Program is the best way for your child to keep reading over the summer. Summer Reading starts June 1 and continues through July 31.
Have your children pick out their own books and take the books with them everywhere they go: road trips, the doctor’s office, grandma’s house. Listen to audiobooks at night or in the car. Listening to audiobooks or listening to someone read aloud benefits everyone. Reading aloud helps build vocabulary skils while listening builds vocabulary and listening comprehension skills, and also increases our knowledge.
Adults can model lifelong learning by participating in the program with their children, grandchildren, neighbors, friends. Help your children prevent the Summer Slide by reading 20 minutes a day this summer! Sign up, track your reading, and earn incentives.
Whether you visit relatives, enjoy a week at camp, or have a staycation at home, make summer even more fun by reading a little everyday!
More ways to beat the Summer Slide!
- Read every day. Read non-fiction, fiction, eBooks, poetry, or newspapers or read out loud for at least 20 minutes a day!
- Cook with your children. This is one of the best ways to integrate math, reading and following directions. Help your child put together their favorite recipes in a cookbook or let your child design the menu for a meal.
- Plant a garden. Your child will learn responsibility and take pride as they watch their plants grow and thrive.
- Take a field trip. Head out to a museum, zoo or local park with walking trails. Keep a journal about your travels.
- Learn a new word each week. Hang it on the fridge and see who can use it the most times throughout the week.
- Enroll in our summer reading program as it will provide your child with opportunities to build their critical thinking skills.
- Play quick games with flashcards like Math War or Concentration to keep math skills sharp.
- Listen to audiobooks during your summer road trip.
- Take pictures and make a summer scrapbook. Encourage your children to write narratives to accompany the pictures.
- Make time to read. We can't stress it enough: if your child does nothing else this summer, make sure they read!
Adapted from Stephanie Jefferson, founder of Little Scholars (www.littlescholars.com).
Did you know that your reading for Metro Library's Summer Reading Program also counts for other Summer Reading programs in the area?
If you'd like to participate in the OKC Baseball Club's Reading Challenge, please visit the OKC Baseball Club's website by clicking here.
Participants in the OKC Baseball Club's Reading Challenge receive two complimentary tickets to a game night (July 13 or September 14) and early access for Catch on the Field with your family. You can submit your reading log, at or email your reading log to reading@okcbaseball.com
How Do Students Participate?
Step 1: Sign In or Register for an Account on Beanstack
By visiting our online summer reading software students can login with their account information from previous years. If students are new to summer reading, you can create a login for them!
If students would like to be eligible for drawing prizes, please encourage them to list their library card on their account when signing up.
Download Instructions for Signing Up Students
Step 2: Register for This Year's Program
After signing in and creating a Beanstack account, students will need to register for this year's Summer Reading program. If students do not register, they cannot log reading, earn badges and prizes, or be eligible for prize drawings. Students must register each year to participate in the current Summer Reading program.
Step 3: Log Reading Minutes and Activities to Earn Badges and Prizes
- Receive prizes at 600 points.
- Continue logging to earn more points.
- Scroll down to learn more about this year's prizes
No Internet Access? No Problem
Students can keep track of the time spent reading through a paper log (English log/Spanish log) or remembering which days they read and for how long. Visit with a library staff member to help enter information into his/her online log.
Sign Students Up for Summer Reading
Visit metrolibrary.org/schoolsignup
Click the I am registering myself button.
Use the following information to fill out the information for the student on the registration form:
- First Name & Last Name
- Username— please use the following naming convention: firstname.lastname (e.g., Jon Smith would be jon.smith)
- Password and Confirm Password— use the student ID number for the password
- Do you have a library card?
- If you are a ONECard school (OKCPS), select Yes, I already have one.
- In the Library Card numberfield, enter thestudent’s Student ID number.Their Student ID is the card information they would use to get access to books at Metro Library. It is important for your school district statistics to have data in the Library Card number field.
- If you are not a ONECard school, select Not right now. I may get one later or don’t have it handy.
- If you are a ONECard school (OKCPS), select Yes, I already have one.
- Which is your primary branch?— Select the library closest to your school
- What year you were born?— Add the student’s birth year
- What grade level are you in?— Add the grade the student is currently enrolled. Do not add the grade they will be in this fall.
- What school do you attend?— Select your school
- Uncheck theYes, send me recommendations via email checkbox.
- Once you’ve finished adding the student’s information, double-check to ensure every required field has content. Hit the Next button.
- Record the student’s Username & Password on the second page of this template and send a copy home with the student for the parent/caregiver.
Watch a Quick Tutorial for Setting Up an Account
OKCPS & Metro Library Beanstack Accounts Can Connect
We are happy to announce Oklahoma City Public Schools signed up as an institutional client with Beanstack, the company we use for our reading programs. This means all OKCPS students automatically have Beanstack accounts and can link their school Beanstack account with the library's Beanstack site.
Here is what you need to know:
- OKCPS and Metro Beanstack accounts must be manually linked by customers, library or school staff assisting customers.
- The next time Beanstack student/parent users login to their account, they will have the option to opt in to linking their library & OKCPS school accounts.
- Logged reading will then count for both programs.
- When OKCPS students are logging reading for school this summer, they will have the option of logging for our Summer Reading program as well.
Summer Reading Prizes
Log reading minutes and learning activities to earn badges and prizes!
Earn points by reading or completing activities. For every five (5) minutes read, you'll receive five (5) points and for every activity completed you'll receive five (5) points. You'll receive prizes and badges when you earn 600 points.
The prizes available for all ages are:
- 600 point badge
- Completion certification
- Your choice between:
- 2 children's books*
- 2 teen books*
- or Metro Library tote bag*
- Entry in random gift drawing if there is a library card on the library account for Summer Reading
Prize pickup begins in June. Visit your neighborhood library to learn how to select and redeem your prizes. The last day to pick up prizes is Friday, August 15. Please note, prize selection and availability will vary by location.
*While supplies and selection last
Summer Reading Prize Drawings
End of Summer Reading Drawing Prize Details
Early Childhood
- Prize: Early Literacy Play Set
- How to Qualify: Library card in good standing and connected to the Beanstack account; Earned a 600 point badge by July 31.
- Number of Winners: 19
- Drawing Date: Monday, August 4
Children, Teens, and Adults
- Prize: Wireless Headphones
- How to Qualify: Library card in good standing and connected to the Beanstack account; Earned a 600 point badge by July 31.
- Number of Winners: 57
- Drawing Date: Monday, August 4
End of Summer Reading Grand Prize Details
Early Childhood
- Prize: Prize Pack including Early Literacy Play Set
- How to Qualify: Library card in good standing and connected to the Beanstack account; Earned a 600 point badge by July 31.
- Number of Winners: 1
- Drawing Date: Monday, August 4
Children, Teens, and Adults
- Prize: Apple iPad or iPad Pro with Apple Pencil
- How to Qualify: Library card in good standing and connected to the Beanstack account; Earned a 600 point badge by July 31.
- Number of Winners: 3
- Drawing Date: Monday, August 4
Summer Reading Teen Volunteers
Do you have students who are looking for volunteer opportunities during the summer? Search no more! Students can be involved at their library through our summer teen volunteer opportunities.
Summer volunteering helps young people gain job training and work experience, develop skills including self-motivation and taking initiative. Additional tasks covered by teen volunteers include:
- promoting the Summer Reading program
- preparing craft items
- helping at library events
"I love being a teen volunteer because of the amazing people that come to the library and the many interactions I have with them."
Isaiah, Teen Volunteer 2024
"I like volunteering at the library because it brings me a lot of joy, and I love to see the gratitude that someone has when I help them. It aslo helps me gain new experiences and kind of help me communicate better."
Michelle, 2024 Teen Volunteer
How to Promote Summer Reading
- Use this promotional toolkit to send students home with a digital or printed flyer for Summer Reading
- Use this promotional toolkit to find crafted language and images for creating social media posts promoting Summer Reading
- Use our school commercials to entice students to participate
- Provide incentives for your students to sign up for Summer Reading
- Sign students up and send their log-in information home with the included letter
- Create a faculty book club and log your reading minutes together
- Create a faculty goal of how many minutes you will try and contribute to our community goal enabling us to donate books to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
- Ask students if they have participated before and to share their story and how much fun they had participating in Summer Reading
- Share your own story of participating in Summer Reading in school and how much fun YOU had participating in Summer Reading
Classroom Commercial
Summer Reading Sample Social Media Posts and Graphics
Generic Caption:
Read for fun all summer long and receive free stuff! Sign up for Metro Library's Summer Reading Program. Visit metrolibrary.org/summerreading for all the details!
Parent-Oriented Caption:
Your child can earn free books and practice their reading this summer by enrolling in Metro Library's Summer Reading Program. Visit metrolibrary.org/summerreading for all the details!
Student-Oriented Caption:
Earn free books this summer by enrolling in Metro Library's Summer Reading Program! 5 minutes of reading = 5 points. 600 points = 2 free books and a chance to win a drawing prize.
Tag the Metropolitan Library System as "Metropolitan Library System" on Facebook, "@MetroLibraryOK" on Instagram and X.
Facebook and X Graphics
English
Spanish
Instagram Graphics
English
Spanish
Printables
Instructions and Letters
Posters and Flyers
English
Spanish
Activity Guides
English
English Activity Guides coming soon!
Spanish
Spanish Activity Guides coming soon!