Read, Your Way. Win Cool Prizes. For Free.

When you envision the “average” reader, who do you see?

Someone curled up on the couch, steaming mug in hand, paperback novel on their lap? That definitely fits.

But what about that construction foreman, decked out in a safety vest and hardhat, poring over blueprints and schematics? Are they a reader?

Or that self-employed freelancer glued to their in-home office desk, who doesn’t have time to discover the latest Pulitzer Prize-winner. Do they qualify?

The answer: they do — and whether you read “the old fashioned way” or not, you do, too.

For the 2022 Summer Reading Challenge at Nashville Public Library (NPL), we’re going to show you how “Reading is for Everyone.”

sign up for summer reading challenge now

How the Challenge Works

The Summer Reading Challenge is simple: from June 1 through August 20, sign up for the Challenge, log the minutes you spend reading, and earn prizes — all for free. The Challenge is open to everyone of all ages.

Using the Beanstack app, you can log your minutes online. You can also print out a paper reading log to turn in at any of our 21 locations. Register your child and log their minutes, as well. You can participate individually or as part of a group.

For every 600 minutes logged, you earn prizes that you can pick up from any NPL location while supplies last. 

What kind of prizes? These irresistible kinds:

• For 600 minutes — a rainbow crayon for ages 5 and younger; NPL Summer Reading Challenge enamel pins for ages 6 and up.
• For 1,200 and 1,800 minutes — coupons to local Nashville businesses for free goodies, including:
  • Bongo Java
  • Chicken Salad Chick
  • Five Points
  • Gabby’s
  • Jeni’s
  • Lane Motor Museum
  • Centennial Sportsplex
  • Wave Pool
  • And more

Our goal for this year is 15 million minutes, and with your help, we know we’ll get there.

And, no: you don’t have to have an NPL library card to participate (but it’s highly recommended, especially with 2 million+ items to choose from and our lauded “Banned Books” card now a permanent fixture).

Reading is for Everyone (No, Really)

If you’re anything like the people we discussed in the intro paragraph — or anyone whose life is filled with to-dos (whose isn't?) — you may be thinking, “I’m not a reader, and I don’t have time for the Challenge.” 

But don’t give up too quickly. 

Do you cook meals by following a recipe? Review and respond to emails at work? Act out a silly story of make-believe with your kiddos? Scroll through Facebook or Twitter, reading the comments?

Guess what: that’s all reading, and it all counts for your Summer Reading Challenge points.

That’s what we mean by this year’s Challenge theme, “Reading is for Everyone.” Whether you pick up a print book or not, everyone engages in literacy in one form or another. The Challenge is our way of rewarding you for what you already do — and encouraging you to read even more.

As for logging the time you spend reading? It’s whatever’s convenient for you! Whether you log your minutes day-by-day, once a week, or on the final day of the Challenge, any way you tackle it is fine.

sign up for summer reading challenge now

But…Books (and Other Things) Definitely Count

Maybe you’re a die-hard fan of the printed word. Maybe you prefer to scroll through a story instead of turning the page.

Doesn’t matter. You’ll earn points when you use all our materials — audiobooks, cookbooks, magazines, or graphic novels/manga. 

That’s why we put together curated reading lists around themes like perfect manga for beginners, summer cooking, great audiobooks for family trips, and dozens of others you can dive into.

And, if you’re not sure exactly what you want to read — but know what you like to read — we can’t recommend Library Concierge enough. Our reading experts will build a recommended list of materials from our collection, filled with the things you love.

And, don’t forget: participating in our NPL programs — including story times and our acclaimed Wishing Chair Productions puppet shows — counts, too.

Double Your Points (and Prizes) with Read to Rise

Exposure to books and reading is essential for infants and toddlers who will go on to succeed in school and life. Giving the gift of reading to your little ones is why Read to Rise exists.

Just like the Summer Reading Challenge, Read to Rise equips you to log the days you spend reading to children. You earn prizes as you go, and the prizes get better the more you read. Read to Rise is specially designed for children from birth through kindergarten.

Signing up for the program is also super easy:

1. Visit the Beanstack app (the same one used to sign up for the Challenge).
2. Register your child’s info.
3. Select “Read to Rise” as one of your challenges.
4. Start logging points!

If you already used the app to sign your child up for the Summer Reading Challenge, you don’t have to register twice — just add “Read to Rise” as one of your challenges.

Now, you’re ready to earn double the points and double the prizes with the same amount of reading. The best part? Read to Rise is year-round, so even when the Challenge is over, you can keep earning credit for instilling a love of reading in your kiddos.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Summer Reading Challenge 2022 is made possible by Amazon and the Nashville Public Library Foundation.