Readers of any age are invited to participate in the Coos Bay Public Library’s summer reading challenge. Beginning Monday, June 17 and continuing through August 17, participants can register for the annual program at the library or online (https://coosbaylibrary.beanstack.org). This year, people can participate online or with a paper bingo sheet. The game challenges readers to read outside their comfort zone through a carefully curated bingo reading adventure. Young people under 18 will receive a free book for entering; adults will receive a special bookmark prize. For each row of five books read, readers will earn an entry into the year’s grand prize drawing. Grand prize winners will get their choice of a $100 gift card to a local Coos Bay restaurant or $100 worth of Legoes™; the library will select a child, teen, and adult winner. Other prizes are available for the first and fifth bingo rows completed. Participants may read or listen to books; library staff are happy to suggest titles. Each summer, the library offers a reading challenge to encourage young people and families to read. Research shows that students who don’t read over the summer can lose as much of a third of what they learned the previous year in a phenomenon commonly called the “summer slide”. To help prevent summer learning loss, libraries around the country offer challenges to support families. In addition, the Coos Bay Public Library is offering a robust slate of programming and enrichment activities throughout the summer to engage, educate, and cultivate community. Programs are provided free of charge and include performances by Gansango Music & Dance Company, Eugene Taiko, award-winning kindie musicians, hands-on science programming from the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, a pool party at Mingus Park and much more. For a complete schedule visit the Coos Bay Public Library website at www.coosbaylibrary.org. For more information on Summer Reading activities or the Reading Challenge call (541) 269-1101 x 3606 or email Jennifer Knight at jknight@coosbaylibrary.org.
