by Natasha Swiger
As a “Rookie Library Manager,” last year was my first go at planning Summer Quest, previously known as Summer Reading, for the New Oxford branch of the Adams County Library System. This time last year, I was one week into what I still describe as “The Best Job Ever!” and the ideas were already flowing. If you are unfamiliar with Summer Quest, it is a summer-long opportunity for Adams County children to experience everything the library offers. Beanstack is the useful tool our libraries use to allow children and families to log the activities they complete. When reaching particular milestones, the children are rewarded with incentives. A child can read as much as their heart desires within our Summer Quest time frame and log all those minutes to be rewarded!
In addition to providing incentives for our voracious readers, each library branch brainstorms its own ideas for programming around the summer library program’s collaborative theme. I am so excited for this year’s theme: “Adventure Begins At Your Library”! Because we began to plan ahead in the fall of the previous year, each branch started to prepare for Summer Quest with an already established budget. Around the same time last year, I began researching my most adventurous ideas and developing my own program planning process for New Oxford Library’s Summer Quest 2024. In addition to my own ideas, I made a list of resources that would suit our theme and organizations and businesses that I could partner with for programming.
Planning all of the fun library activities has got to be one of my favorite parts of all of the pieces that go into Summer Quest. During each of the Summer months, I try to incorporate multiple learning modalities through a variety of different types of programs. Last summer, our STEM programs were popular, and we saw many patrons from across the county visit. Like past years, each branch will offer a variety of different programs within the theme. Here at the New Oxford Library, you won’t want to miss out on our two “Big Programs,” where we expect to see families from all over Adams County.
As much as the summer library programs are centered around promoting literacy among our younger patrons during the months they are out of school, the focus for Summer Quest isn’t entirely for our youth, I promise! With our theme of adventure this Summer, we will continue to offer adult programs that fit the bill. Adults also have the opportunity to record their reading in Beanstack. Once a milestone is reached, they’ll be entered into a drawing for a giveaway.
The last thing I want to share with you is The Adams County Library System’s partnership with Wellspan through our GO (Get Outdoors) Adams program. This program opportunity is perfect for our adventure theme this Summer! Families are encouraged to visit landmarks across the county in various local parks. With a rubbing sheet, they can record their visits and upload the specific code to Beanstack for a chance to win prizes.
These next few months will fly by as each of our library branches gathers supplies, contacts performers and continues to plan out their awesome adventure ideas. I don’t want to spoil any surprises just yet, but be ready to “explore” the possibilities your libraries have to offer!
Natasha Swiger is Branch Manager of the New Oxford Library.