Level Up your Reading Game with the Oak Lawn Public Library

The Oak Lawn Public Library began its youth and adult summer reading programs on Sunday, June 1 under iRead’s “Level Up at Your Library” theme.

Patrons can sign up at olpl.beanstack.org to earn prizes by logging their reading through Friday, August 1 and partake in various tie-in events this summer.

Summer is here and OLPL is once again encouraging community members of all ages to remain active readers.

This year’s summer reading theme, Level Up at Your Library, invokes games to remind patrons the Library is a place for patrons to enjoy themselves.

Like any good game, summer reading at OLPL will reward progress by awarding prizes for logged reading. The Library will also host tie-in events to help promote reading to patrons of all ages.

OLPL’s Youth Services Department has broken its summer reading program into two age groups.

The Koala Club for ages 0-3 provides parents an opportunity to have a blast with their children while engaging in the five practices of early literacy.

The reading program for children ages 4-14, simply called Level Up at Your Library, will encourage them to level up their reading game and fun quotient with summer reading and activities.

A road map for participation in either track of the youth summer reading program can be found in the form of a reading log, available at the Youth Services Desk on the first floor any time the Library is open. Progression through the reading log activities will reward young readers with prizes.

The first prize for the reading program will be available from the Youth Services Desk starting Monday, June 16 while the second and third prizes will be available starting Tuesday, July 1. Prizes must be collected by Saturday, Aug. 2, while supplies last.

Youth Services will host their Summer Reading Celebration: Foam Party on Saturday, June 14 from 11 a.m.-noon. The all ages event will get summer started with music and lots of foam courtesy of Foam Party All Stars and frozen treats for participants (while supplies last) provided by the Oak Lawn Shake Shack.

The Foam Party will be canceled if weather is inclement.

Youth Services is grateful to the Friends of the Oak Lawn Library for their generous support of their summer reading program as well as their sponsorship of the Foam Party.

OLPL’s Adult/Young Adult Services Department has ensured that the opportunity for rewarded reading is available to everyone with their summer reading challenge. The Level Up Adult and Teen Summer Reading Challenge provides those who have aged out of the youth program the opportunity to “hoard prizes like a dragon and aim for the leaderboard.”

Progression through the 30-day challenge will earn participants a free book and the ability to spin for prizes. Logging additional days of reading will earn digital raffle tickets for prizes from local businesses and the Friends of the Library.

Adult/Young Adult Services will host its Wacka Wacka Wednesday Kickoff on Wednesday, June 11 to promote the reading challenge. Patrons can drop in between 6:30-8 p.m. to partake in Pac-Man themed activities, a self-paced scavenger hunt and a chance to pick up their sign-up prizes.

In addition to the kickoff, several tie-in programs are available from the department, including Amazing Mazes Craft Class on Thursday, July 17 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Virtual Reality on Friday, July 18 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Teens can look forward to tie-in offerings such as Smash Bros. Tournament on Saturday, July 19 from 1-4 p.m. These three programs require registration. Additional tie-in programs are denoted in OLPL’s Summer 2025 Newsletter.

Registration and program details can be found on the Library’s online event calendar: oaklawnpl.librarycalendar.com

The department is also promoting summer reading with its second floor Pac-Man arcade cabinet. Patrons can play retro video games on the cabinet, with 15-minute play slots earning them raffle tickets.

Summer reading at OLPL began Sunday, June 1 and runs through Friday, Aug. 1. To sign up, visit: olpl.beanstack.org

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