Join. Borrow. Read. Log. Win!
Are you ready for a gigantic-humungous-enormous READING summer? Of course!
From 1 December 2023–31 January 2024, The Big Summer Read is back for another year. No matter where you’ll be this summer, children and young people aged 0–18 years old can have fun in the sun or inside by reading! Join children all across Victoria to read, play, and borrow your way through the Big Summer Read.
The more you read, the more chances you have to win!
What is the Big Summer Read?
Over the summer school holidays, children can experience something called the ‘summer slide’, which refers to the loss of literacy skills when they do not read. This could be months of progress. The Big Summer Read aims to slow the slide by encouraging children and their families to join a fun and dynamic statewide reading campaign.
How to join the fun!
All you need is a library membership and enthusiasm!
- Simply log your reading!
- You can log your reading through the app called Beanstack. Register and earn badges as you read in the app. Log a minimum of 10 books to be eligible to enter the statewide draw.
- Prefer paper? Grab a reading log from your local library. When you have written down 10 books, return your log to library staff, grab another one. The more you read the more entries you have into the YPRL regional draw and some lovely local library branch prizes.
- Borrow books. When you borrow from our Junior collection you can grab swap cards. There's 18 - Collect the whole set! While stocks last.
- Read more! Keep reading until the end of January.
- Winners will be announced: Monday 12 February.
If you don’t have a membership card that’s ok! You can become a member at any time.
We also have HEAPS of activities and events to join across all of our library branches including: Scavenger hunts, Tim Credible Show, stilt walking, playing the ukelele, crafts, dance, coding, Mr Snotbottom, NGV Kids on Tour and so much more.
But what about books?! Reading is never boring. Looking for good recommendations? Our swap cards feature some of our favourite stories. You will also find recommendation bookmarks 'If you liked... try....' in branches to help you find your next read. Lots of books, eBooks, and eAudiobooks for you to check out! Ask a librarian to help you find something wonderful to read because we love showing you where all the unknown gems are in the collection.
The Grand Prize
If everyone is reading and having fun together, there’s no reason why we can’t all share community prizes together! This way there's even more winners! This year, win your spot into one of three experiences or workshops - one held in each of our local government areas.
- Special Guest Author Event. Proudly sponsored by BorrowBox.
Get front row seats to this author event, with the opportunity to ask questions of one of Australia's favourite authors. - Cartooning Workshop with Cardytoons
- Woodworking Workshop with Craft Power
Once the Big Summer Read is over, winners will be contacted with the date and time of their chosen special experience.
Disclaimer:
The Big Summer Read is organised by Public Libraries Victoria. They are using a reading app, Beanstack, to record how many children register for the program and how many books are read over summer. This is how prizes are drawn.
Each time we receive a reading log, Yarra Plenty Regional Library will enter the child’s name and library membership and the total books read for YPRL records for reporting purposes. We will share the total number of participants and number of books read with Public Libraries Victoria but will not share any other information.