The Library System has unveiled a new Passport to Reading contest which encourages families to travel the highways and byways of Erie County to visit all of the public libraries. Library travelers can pick up a special commemorative Passport and have it stamped for a chance to win great prizes including family passes to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens and the Buffalo Museum of Science.  Details: https://tinyurl.com/ydauc44m and https://tinyurl.com/ydd6vsbp.

Other highlights of the Build a Better World! Summer Reading program include:

·         Summer Reading Fun with WYRK & WBLK Radio Announcers - Beginning Tuesday,

June 20 and running throughout the summer, Disc Jockeys from WYRK and WBLK radio stations will be visiting select libraries and reading to children.

·         Reading Logs, Reading Competitions and Great Prizes - Children track their summer reads.  Incentives and prizes are provided when predetermined reading milestones (number of books read) are reached.

·         Summer Online Reading Challenge - Adults and teens - Exercise your mind by reading a book or two or three!  Then write a short review and post it to the Library’s online contest website to win some terrific prizes.  One lucky participant will win an Amazon Kindle Fire HDX tablet e-Reader. Children and summer camps can enter as well.

·         Library Night at the Races - For the fifth year, Library Night at the Races takes place at Holland Nascar MotorSports Complex.  Saturday, August 19th is the big night.  Children read two books and earn a free pass.  Libraries will also have discount coupons for adults to attend.

·         Read Down Your Fines - Children ages 16 and under have an opportunity to pay down overdue library fines through reading. For every 15 minutes of reading, a child earns one Library Buck toward reducing or eliminating overdue fines, now through September 2.

·         Battle of the Books – Readers are winners in the annual Battle of the Books on Saturday, August 5 in the Erie Community College – South Campus Gym.  Now in its 19th year, this popular team trivia competition is open to youth entering grades six through nine.  Currently there are 28 teams with over 200 participants registered and reading!  Interested in joining a team?  Travel to your local library for details.  Team members read the same five books to prepare for trivia questions about those books while vying for the coveted Battle title and trophy. Last year Amherst Public Library took the gold medal after competing in a fast-paced lightning round before 500+ fans. 

·         Canalside - Tuesdays, beginning June 27 through August 29, the Library will be stationed outdoors at Buffalo’s Canalside for Build a Better World! super storytelling and craft programs from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Open eBooks – This is a great reading app just for kids! Thousands of children’s books are available to download for free for a period of up to eight weeks.  Visit your library for details on the Open eBooks app.

Mayor Byron Brown’s Reading Rules Summer Challenge – Visit your library to learn about this program for children and teens.

·         The Library on Wheels Bookmobile will be on the road this summer including at Canalside Buffalo, as well as at the Eden Corn Festival Parade on Sunday, August 6 and the Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts on Sunday, August 27.  See the bookmobile schedule here: http://www.buffalolib.org/content/bookmobile-event.