Harford County Public Library Launches Summer Reading Virtual Adventure

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Harford County Public Library Launches Summer Reading Virtual Adventure

Harford County Public Library has launched Imagine Your Story: Summer Reading Virtual Adventure 2020 for All Ages, a fun way for library customers to engage with the community and challenge themselves over the summer.

This year’s virtual Summer Reading Challenge invites participants to set their own goals and unlock games and earn badges throughout the summer. Participants may sign up and keep track of books and their activities online at HCPLonline.org. The Summer Reading Virtual Adventure runs through September 7.

Books of all kinds, from printed, e-reader or audio books, may be logged as part of the Summer Reading Virtual Adventure. In addition, librarians have put together various missions with activities for participants of all ages to complete throughout the summer. Mission themes are arts and creativity; community; family; language and literacy; reading; music; STEM; health and wellness; world languages and geography; games and fun; writing and literature; and great outdoors.

When missions are complete, participants will unlock badges, games and bragging rights. Those without a computer can still participate. Library staff can create an account, and participants may pick up a mission activity card at their local library.

New missions are released every Monday.

Everyone, from infants, toddlers and preschoolers to children, teens and adults, can participate in this year’s Summer Reading Virtual Adventure. Children who are too young to read by themselves can participate with an adult. Parents or caretakers are welcome to sign up young children and assist them with missions.

“We are super excited to launch our first ever virtual Summer Reading Challenge,” said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library. “Our hope is that our customers will truly ‘imagine their story’ this summer by selecting books that feed the mind and soul and participate in missions that will expand their breadth and depth of knowledge in a variety of areas. While this summer will be unlike any other, we at the library want to make sure our customers have opportunities to continue learning, regardless of age.”

For students, reading over the summer break can prevent summer learning loss and help them start the next school year on the right page.

Summer Reading Virtual Adventure sponsors are Harford County Public Library Foundation, Klein’s ShopRite, Aberdeen IronBirds, Harford Day School, Bel Air Friends of HCPL, Rosedale Federal Savings and Loan Association, The John Carroll School, Maryland 529, APGFCU, Har-Co Credit Union, Aberdeen Rotary Club, Horizon Cinemas, The Highlands School, M&T Bank, Berardino Family Trust and Darlington Friends of HCPL.

Library cards are not required for participation in the Summer Reading Virtual Adventure. However, if  someone would like to get a Harford County Public Library card to access eBooks and more, they can sign up for a digital library card at HCPLmd.org/digitalcard.

Harford County Public Library encourages participants to share photos of their favorite reading spots by tagging them with #hcplmdsummer on Instagram or Twitter for the opportunity to have the photo featured on the library’s website.

As part of Imagine Your Story: Summer Reading Virtual Adventure 2020 for All Ages, children between the ages of 8-11 may participate in Summer Slugger. Harford County Public Library is partnering with the Baltimore Orioles, Major League Baseball and EVERFI in this fun, interactive, online activity that uses the game of baseball to help kids maintain their math and literacy skills during the summer months.

For more than 74 years, Harford County Public Library has provided its communities with access to ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. Last year the library interacted with its residents more than 6.3 million times – borrowing free materials, visiting branches and the website, attending classes and events. In 2019, Harford County Public Library received the Maryland Library Association’s first Excellence in Marketing Award. For more information, visit HCPLonline.org.

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