Now that the Richmond Library has re-opened, it’s a great opportunity to get your kids involved in summer reading programs where they can earn prizes and help the environment. When I was a kid, I remember reading enough books over the summer to earn two tickets to a Giants game.
This summer’s SFPL reading program is called “Read It and Green It” where kids (up to age 13) who read books can help get more trees planted in San Francisco. The San Francisco Public Library has teamed up with Friends of the Urban Forest to plant street trees in the city. Kids completing their eight hour summer reading log will earn a grand prize AND credits to help purchase these trees. Those eight hours can be reading on their own or being read to. Grand prizes include a book, a hand-powered flashlight, and tickets to local museums and attractions.
And for the extra motivated: If you read 16 hours you can enter into the program’s SUPER raffle. Raffle winners will choose a family membership to a local museum (ala Academy of Sciences), a gift certificate for a bike, or a gift certificate for a music store (put toward musical instrument rental, lessons, instruments, gear, sheet music.).
HOW TO GET STARTED
Stop by the Richmond Library (9th Ave between Clement and Geary) or the Anza Bookmobile at 31st and Balboa (Tues. 10:30am-1pm, Sat. 1:30-5pm) and sign up for the program which runs from June 13 – August 8. Then start reading! Drop by your branch every week to record the hours you’ve read, to check out new books, and enter the weekly raffle. Each branch will have weekly raffle prizes that readers are eligible to win, like green gear, tickets to the SF Giants, The Academy of Sciences, Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum and more.
Check out the Read It and Green It! blog for more information, recommended reading lists, and info on the latest summer reading program events.
COOL IT! GREEN TEEN SUMMER READING PROGRAM
The SFPL has a summer reading program for teens too. Teens can earn great eco-prizes by reading books, maagazines, newspapers and even online reading.
If quiet reading isn’t up your teen’s alley, then they can also earn credits spending up to 15 hours planting trees, cleaning up a park, restoring beaches or shorelines, helping sell used books, sorting through reusable art supplies, or recycling bottles, cans or electronics. Hours spent volunteering will be counted as part of the library’s summer reading program.
Teens can earn lots of sustainably-conscious prizes like journals, logo messenger bags and bamboo flash drives, along with the change to win grand prizes including a brand new bike or an Apple iTouch. The program runs from June 12 to July 24, and they can register by visiting the Richmond Library or the Anza Bookmobile at 31st and Balboa (Tues. 10:30am -1pm, Sat. 1:30-5pm). Keep an eye on the SFPL’s teen blog for more information on the program and events.