Swim into summer with the Alachua County Library District’s annual reading program

Shaney T. Livingston
·3 min read
Patrons of all ages of the Alachua County Library District are encouraged to participate in summer reading and other programs offered by the district.
Patrons of all ages of the Alachua County Library District are encouraged to participate in summer reading and other programs offered by the district.

As summer approaches, calendars are filling with family vacations, road trips and day camps. As you make your summer plans, don’t forget the one activity that’s totally free, perfect for everyone in your family and happening 24/7 — Summer at the Library!

Summer at the Library is the Alachua County Library District’s annual reading challenge complemented with programs across 12 branches to keep your family entertained and learning through the summer months. Patrons from 1 to 100, and older, can sign up and track their reading for chances to win weekly pizza prizes from Five Star Pizza or a grand prize tablet from PDQ Restaurant. Our goal is to help children and their families combat the “summer slide,” a loss of reading and math knowledge gained during the previous school year over the summer months.  

The 2022 Summer at the Library theme is Oceans of Possibilities, and the nautical fun starts Saturday, May 28, and continues through July 31. Anyone can register online at www.aclib.us/summer or in person at any library branch and receive a free tote bag including a book while supplies last.

Youth services library staff read to children during a story time at Headquarters Library in downtown Gainesville in 2019.
Youth services library staff read to children during a story time at Headquarters Library in downtown Gainesville in 2019.

You can also sign up at Reader Palooza on Saturday, June 4, at Depot Park from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will offer games and activities with the Library District and our friends from Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, Fun 4 Gator Kids, the Harn Museum of Art and more.

After our big bash, there are dozens of programs for kids, teens and adults all summer — including the Family Invention Lab STEM workshops at Headquarters Library and Ocean Tales live virtual programs with animal guests each Tuesday on Facebook and Zoom. Registration is required for some programs, so visit www.aclib.us/events to see the full schedule and make your plans. All programs are totally free and do not require a library card to join.

More from Shaney T. Livingston:

Add a library card to your key chain, wallet and save

The best internet connection is at the library

Combat the ‘summer slide’ with free library tools

Summer is also the perfect time to soak up a new book. Our shelves are packed with the latest releases from board books to popular fiction. Young readers can check out great titles from our 2022 Summer Picks, grade-level reading recommendations of award-winning and best-selling books selected by the Library District and Alachua County Public Schools. Summer Picks lists are available online and at your local library.

Public school students of all ages can use their Student Library Card information to check out items at any branch. Alachua County library cardholders can also check out digital books and audio books and stream movies, shows, and music 24 hours a day.

Students can use their Student Library Card information at any Alachua County Library District branch to maintain and improve their reading skills during the summer months.
Students can use their Student Library Card information at any Alachua County Library District branch to maintain and improve their reading skills during the summer months.

If you’re looking for a challenge for your teen, sign them up for Battle of the Books and receive three free books to read over the summer. Teens will prepare for the annual trivia competition together and then compete in the Battle of the Books in teams on July 23 on Zoom.

I look forward to seeing patrons of all ages enjoying programs and stocking up on books at all our branches this summer. A hearty thank you to our 2022 partners at RTI Surgical, PDQ Restaurant, MARC Radio, Five Star Pizza and Friends of the Library for their support. I also thank our exceptional library workers for preparing a great summer program for our community.

I encourage you to explore the many possibilities at the library and add Summer at the Library to your summer plans.  

Shaney T. Livingston is the director of the Alachua County Library District, the sole provider of public library services to approximately 271,000 citizens in urban and rural communities throughout Alachua County. The Library District’s mission is to build a better community by creating opportunities to participate, connect and discover.

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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Shaney T. Livingston: Fight 'summer slide' at Alachua County libraries