Drop everything and read

If you have a 2022 goal to read more, then look no further than the Metropolitan Library System for resources (and books!) to help you out. Right now, adults can enter Book Bingo, a winter reading challenge, for a chance to win prizes while increasing your word count for the year.

Adults who read or listen to five books between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28 will earn a library-branded campfire mug and a coupon for a free Chick's Meal from Slim Chickens as a goal prize AND be entered in a drawing for an exclusive prize pack that includes an Amazon Fire tablet, a cozy library branded blanket, and a Skip-the-Wait Pass on a physical book or an OverDrive digital book. Adults who read or listen to 25 books between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 2022 will be entered into a grand prize drawing that includes an iPad and Free Slim Chickens for a year. 

To sign up, make sure you have a valid Metropolitan Library card by signing up here. Then register for the Winter Reading Challenge 2022 on Beanstack and log your books to be eligible for prizes. You can read more about the program here. 

If you want to inspire your kids to pick up a book, your local library branch has in-person, take-home and virtual activity options to explore. View a list of upcoming events for kids here. For those with young children, the library also has the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program to help parents prepare their children for one of life’s big milestones: kindergarten. An excellent way to instill a love of reading and get your child ready to learn is to read to them. 

Your child will receive a special sticker for every 100 books they read. At 500 books, they will receive a stuffed reading buddy plush and a certificate. At 1000 books, they will receive a themed tote bag and a certificate. After signing in and creating a Beanstack account, register for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program to track your books and be eligible to receive prizes.