Summer Reading Program 2026: Plant a Seed, Read

Saturday, May 30th through Saturday, August 1st

Plant a Seed, Read is rooted in the concept of farm-to-table. A farm grows food that nourishes our bodies; a library grows ideas that nourish our minds. Both food and stories connect us to our family, culture, economy, and ecology. This summer, explore culture, history, science, health, and human connection with the Tolono Public Library District.

The challenge begins on Saturday, May 30th. You do not need to come to the Library to enroll. Simply signup online [here] or download the Beanstack mobile app and accept the Tolono Public Library’s reading challenge.

How the Program Works

Track reading and rewards through Beanstack – an interactive mobile app and website that incentivizes building a habit of reading. Beanstack makes it easy to track your time spent reading and keep track of prizes you earned for each family member!

If you already have a Beanstack account, there is no need to sign up again. Just log into your Beanstack account and select a new challenge for your age group. You can tab between different libraries as well if you want to be in multiple district challenges.

Find the Beanstack Tracker app in the App Store or Google Play. Or you can use the QR code below.

For patrons who prefer paper, you can download a PDF and print out a reading log at home (see below the FAQs). Kids and teens can still earn prizes for the minutes they spend reading! However, only Beanstack users are eligible to be in the grand prize drawings at the end of the Summer Reading Program.

Children (0 to 11)

1. For every 100 minutes that a participant reads, they will receive a digital badge. Some badges are attached to prizes they can redeem at the Library.
2. As participants advance in the challenge, staff can see their progress and mark off when they have redeemed a prize.
3. Anyone using a paper tracker MUST have parents and/or caregivers initial by their completed number of minutes in order to receive their prizes.
4. Children can receive up to four prizes, however, they can continue to read after they have collected all of their prizes.
5. Extra digital badges are available for the Summer Reading Challenge. Each badge gets you an additional entry into the grand prize raffle. Attending a Library event from the June or July calendar or coming to a Summer Saturday in the Park event can earn the extra badges. A code will be shared at these Library events to redeem the badges on the Beanstack account.

Teens (12 to 18)

1. For every 100 minutes that a participant reads, they will receive a digital badge. Some badges are attached to prizes they can redeem at the Library.
2. As participants advance in challenge, staff can see their progress and mark off when they have redeemed a prize.
3. Anyone using a paper tracker MUST have parents and/or caregivers initial by their completed number of minutes in order to receive their prizes.
4. Teens can receive up to two prizes, however, they can continue to read after they have completed the Summer Reading Challenge.
5. Extra digital badges are available for the Summer Reading Challenge. Each badge gets you an additional entry into the grand prize raffle. Attending a Library event from the June or July calendar or volunteering to beautify the new Library garden can earn the extra badges. A code will be shared on these occasions to redeem the badges on the Beanstack account.

Adults (19+)

1. For every 100 minutes that a participant reads, they will receive a digital badge. The more a participant interacts with the app, the greater their chances of winning the grand prize drawing.
2. Adults only receive a signup gift for enrolling in the Summer Reading Challenge, but they can continue to read after they have completed 1,000 minutes. At the end of the challenge, one patron wins the raffle for the grand prize basket of goodies!
3. Extra digital badges are available for the Summer Reading Challenge. Each activity badge gets you an additional entry into the grand prize raffle. A code will be shared at the Library to redeem the badges on the Beanstack account. Earn these badges by:
   • Volunteering to weed or beautify the Library garden
   • Attending a program from the June and July calendar
   • Submitting a recipe for our Community Cookbook project
   • Changing your phone’s background picture to be one of our themed summer reading designs (see bottom of this webpage for the picture options)

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there certain types of books that we’re required to read?

Absolutely not! Books, graphic novels, eBooks, Playaways, Wonderbooks, and audiobooks all count towards the Summer Reading Program.

Can I read more than the number of minutes shown on the challenge?

Yes! Please read as much as you would like. However, prizes and raffle tickets for children and teens will only be given up to 1,000 minutes.

Can I redeem my prizes past August 1st?

Unfortunately, all rewards must be claimed on or before the 1st.

My child cannot read by themselves, can they still participate?

Yes! All children are encouraged to participate. If your child cannot read, read to them instead!

Do we have to wait until the end of the program to redeem our prizes?

No. We encourage you to collect your prizes as you earn them. Listed prizes are subject to change with supply and demand.

Can the prizes be delivered?

No. All prizes must be picked up in person at the Tolono Public Library.

Can the Library help me log minutes on the Beanstack app?

Yes, our staff can log activities and minutes on your behalf. We encourage you to try on your own first, but we can always help you if you get stuck. If you are logged in on your Beanstack account on desktop, there is an FAQ section in the bottom left for your convenience; on mobile, there is a Help tab if you tap the gear icon at the top right.

What if I don’t want to use the internet or an app to track my reading?

Patrons who do not want to create a Beanstack account have the option of using a paper log to track their reading. The PDF for each age group’s reading challenges will be listed below for downloading and printing at home. Offline readers can still claim reading prizes, but they will not be earning badges nor be eligible for the grand prize drawing.

PDF Trackers

Kids Reading Challenge [Download]

Teens Reading Challenge [Download]

Phone Wallpapers

Download any of these wallpapers/lockscreens for your phone! Keep the fun of the Summer Reading Challenge fresh in your mind with these whimsical designs by our clerk and local artist, Megan Rice. Adults can earn an extra badge and entry into the grand prize raffle by showing our staff that they used one of these designs on their own cell phones!

If you have any questions regarding the Summer Reading Program, please email librarian@tolonolibrary.org or call the Library at (217) 485-5558.