This summer, the Scottsdale Public Library saw a significant increase in participation in its annual Summer Reading Challenge. Nearly 7,000 residents registered for the challenge, surpassing last year’s numbers. Of those participants, about 3,300 reached the goal of reading at least 1,000 minutes each, which also marked an improvement over the previous summer. In total, participants logged around 7 million minutes of reading.
The Summer Reading Challenge is designed to encourage daily reading and help foster positive habits among community members of all ages.
“We are thrilled to see how Scottsdale residents embraced this year’s Summer Reading Challenge,” said Library Department Director Mike Beck. “The strong participation in both reading and programs for all ages shows just how much our community values lifelong learning and literacy. We’re grateful to the Scottsdale City Council, the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library and the Maricopa County Library District for their continued support in making our summer a success.”
In addition to the reading challenge, almost 200 free programs were offered by the library for toddlers, children, teens, and adults. These events drew more than 7,500 attendees who took part in story times, STEM activities, art workshops, book discussions, and live music performances.
The library also worked to address youth nutrition through its Kids Café at Civic Center Library. In partnership with Scottsdale Unified School District, more than 3,700 free lunches were provided to children and teens during summer when school meals are unavailable.
Scottsdale Public Library operates four branches: Civic Center Library, Mustang Library, Arabian Library, and Appaloosa Library. More information on library services can be found at ScottsdaleLibrary.org.
