The 1990s were a simpler time; when you could go into your elementary school library, unicorn trapper keeper folder in hand, in the middle of the day, and with the $20 your mom gave you before she dropped you off at school, pick out as many books, stickers, sparkly pencils, cats hanging on branches posters encouraging you to “Hang In There”, and all the candy-shaped erasers you could want at the book fair. Then you’d go home, read your books, and be rewarded with a soda and a personal pan pizza from the local pizza chain in town.
Gone are those days; when we could sit under the tree and let our imaginations take flight to new worlds or travel back in time and be explorers. Or are they? After many requests from patrons, Adult Summer Reading is back! Why should the kids have all the fun of reading and winning cool prizes? Dabnabbit, we pay our taxes, we should be rewarded too!
All kidding aside, it’s been a great start to the library’s Summer Reading Program for kids. Summer time is usually when children put away books and start the summer slide, but not our library kids! With over 313 children signed up, and with only 3 weeks completed at the time of this writing, 34 of those little whippersnappers have already finished their goal of reading 1000 minutes each. And they’re still going! So what’s stopping you, adults?
The Adult Summer Reading program is pretty straight forward, any adult can participate! Perhaps you saw the library’s recent social media video announcing Adult Summer Reading? Any form of book reading counts, whether an e-book, physical book, or even yes Virginia, an audiobook! And though you don’t get to go to a book fair, but that’s definitely something we’re thinking about bringing back for adults, you do have the chance to wins some awesome prizes. No personal pan pizzas though.
Every time you finish a book, let staff know and you’ll be given a red ticket – per book – to enter to win one of many amazing prizes. We reached out to the community and local businesses and told them we were bringing back Adult Summer Reading and the response was amazing. Art was donated; that popular bookstore in Flagstaff donated a $25 gift card, a chance to go on a train ride in Clarkdale, or take a guided tour on an electric bike (for two), or even enjoy a frosty beverage at the brewery across the street from the library, are just some of the possible prizes you can enter to win by reading books this summer!
And to sweeten the deal, yes, we even bought some cool gift cards; whether you’re a fan of camping, unique one of a kind creations by artists and crafters, or want to pamper your fur babies, we got you. Don’t let the summer heat keep you from reading; come by the library, grab an iced coffee or a tasty ice cream treat, and find a good book to read.
From our new book section, to our book displays, to books by local authors from our sister city in Canmore, Canada, there’s something for everyone to read at the library. Don’t forget our staff favorite the Lucky Day section! Perhaps you’ve been in book-hold limbo waiting for that popular book by that author who writes a lot but you stop by the library and lo and behold, it’s sitting right there in the Lucky Day section! Grab it! Read it! Turn it in for a ticket to hopefully win a prize! But remember only one green labeled Lucky Day book or movie at a time. Adult Summer Reading wraps up at the end of July, when prize winners will be chosen. There’s still plenty of time to join in the reading fun!
Community Library Sedona is also a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your gifts and support, just like the Friends’ contributions, allow us to provide a plethora of services and programs for the community, for free, all year long. Visit communitylibrarysedona.org/donate to make an online gift today.
As published by Red Rock News
Library News Column for June 20, 2025, by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Scheduling Coordinator