High-Quality, Low-Cost Resources and Products to Promote Reading
iREAD on the Road: Part 3
Aug 15, 2025
Folks all over the world are still leveling up their summers - here is another fabulous collection of decorations, programs, and more from libraries around the world. Let's hit the road!
California
Glendale Library, Arts & Culture - Glendale, CA
At Glendale Library, Arts & Culture (Glendale, CA), we implemented a new approach by creating a unified Summer Reading Challenge that is inclusive of all ages and abilities across our eight branch locations. Centered around the overarching theme of “Level Up,” the program integrates iRead spot art into a vibrant and engaging scene designed to resonate with participants of all age groups.
To create a cohesive promotional campaign, we also incorporated our One Book, One Glendale community read into the overall marketing strategy, effectively aligning all summer reading initiatives under one unified message.
Promotional materials developed for the campaign included posters, program flyers, age-specific newsletters, a reading challenge “gamecard” to track progress, lanyards for staff, and a specially commissioned limited-edition library tote bag available to participants upon registration.
Mount Shasta Public Library - Mount Shasta, CA
We have taken the iRead gaming idea and run with it! We have planned "analog game days" with board games, balloon badminton, and other games for every age (we have a lot of preschoolers participating this year); "messy art days" where we work with sand, paint, glitter... all the things we normally avoid in the library; turned off the lights and led the little ones in a raucous game of hide & seek in the shadowed corners of the stacks; hosted a night of trivia & parlor games; are planning a concert of live music; and the final blow-out party where we will have all the games out plus ice cream and a ton of great prizes to give away. On an ongoing basis, we created BINGO cards with book covers and with author/illustrator names for every age group, plus a tricky library-wide scavenger hunt and the reading logs we got from iRead. Our fabulous prizes - large & small - were all donated (by my son) so we have been able to give some wonderful things away without spending money *whew* (I am really hoping we have some left over for next year!)
Illinois
Four Star Public Library - Mendon, IL
Sharing our Summer Reading decorations, using the iRead theme - Level Up at Your Library! The large cutouts of chess pieces, sorry pieces, video game controller, and rubix cubes were cut out of plywood, painted, and donated by a patron. The giant LEGO pieces were made out of boxes and paper bowls. And the Twister spinner was created using the Cricut by one of our circulation desk clerks. I love seeing everyone's creativity come together!
St. Joseph Township - Swearingen Memorial Library - St. Joseph, IL
We had a party at the conclusion of the Summer Reading Program. AmerenCilco provided a grant to pay for the party. All children in the community and surrounding communities were invited to come. All children received a goodie bag. We had the Mobile Scovill Zoo 2-3. Outside, we had a bounce house from Dishman Inflatables, Fun Faces and Balloons (facepainting and balloon art) for all the kids and Island Snow 2 Go Shaved Ice. All children got a coupon for a free child-sized shaved ice in their goodie bag. We held the 3 programs' grand prize drawings at 3 p.m. Susan McKinney, Librarian was assisted by Irwin the Kookaburra and the Scovill Zoo volunteer.
Mascoutah Public Library - Mascoutah, IL
We had the teens create edible pancake art.
Shawneetown Public Library - Shawneetown, IL
Library Board Member and Technology teacher Amanda Brinkley-Austin led the group in some hands-on fun activities in the library!
Watseka Public Library - Watseka, IL
We decorated in the spirit of Jumanji. In addition to offering an interactive movie viewing, the Champaign County Forest Preserve gave a "Scaly Encounters" program with a turtle and a snake. We also had a blast with our annual Bottle Rocketry Program. Ninety people leveled up their Rockets to the sky! Once again we partnered with the Harbor House Resale shop to host a Level Up Fashion Show. Adults and Children created new clothes and accessories from thrifted clothes. Harbor house raises funds with their resale shop. The money is used to offer resources and shelter to victims of domestic abuse.
Photos:
1.Children's area
2.Scaly Encounters
3.Post-Rocketry with staff
4.Fashion Show group shot
Rick Warren Memorial Public Library District - Elkville, IL
Rick Warren Library used the Pietsch drago logo on its outside banner advertising the 2025 reading program at the library. RWLibrary had 43 registrants for the 2025 program and provided 8 weeks of summer reading activities!
Paw Paw Public Library District - Paw Paw, IL
Library Assistant Ashley welcoming children to the start of summer reading and showing where to sign up and all the goodies they will get for participating.
Each week of summer reading was "assigned" a color and a "game mascot". For example week two was the color purple and the mascot Gordon, week seven was red and Mario. If participants wore the color of the week they could enter themselves into a drawing for a small prize at the end of the week.
A patron showing the color of the week and the prize they could win.
Every Wednesday was "game day." Children were able to play games on the Wii, Nintendo Switch or board games. Connect Four and Memory Match It were the most popular board games. We coincided Game Day with our Summer Eats program we participate in with the United Way. Each Wednesday shelf stable lunches were delivered to the library for kids and teens. Wednesdays were always busy and the free popcorn didn't hurt attendance either.
Children dancing to a Wii game on Game Day.
Iowa
Ericson Public Library - Boone, IA
A previous employee in Youth Services started a mini comic-con at our Library that has been hugely successful through the years, and I have worked to carry the torch more more than seven years. We have now surpassed 10 years of holding this event, and it has grown & evolved, and always very well attended and a lot of fun for vendors, patrons & staff alike! In 2025 we had over 23+ vendors that varied from artists, crafters, local food places & authors. We had a panel of our Library writers group preview their presentation for a Sci-Fi writers convention they were attending the following week in St. Louis, a quiet room for board games & DnD related activities, a screening of an animated series & concluded the day with a costume contest for Kids, Teens, Adults & Groups. We are excited that we had 400 attend that day to enjoy this FREE family friendly yearly event! Looking forward to next year! ~ Ronda Kelley, Youth Services at Ericson Public Library
Livermore Public Library - Livermore, IA
Interactive Bulletin Board - kids get to move along the bulletin board every time they show up for a Summer Reading Program (ALL JUNE & JULY - 2 programs per week). 2 ways to get to the castle - for those who are every time/most of the time kids they will go up into the bonus cloud area to earn extra prizes and the middle straight to the castle who cannot or are unable to attend as many, but they still feel like they got to the end of the level (keeps it an accomplishable goal). Kids can volunteer to help out with running a program or getting ready for an event to earn an extra move on the board.
Sergeant Bluff Public Library - Sergeant Bluff, IA
Check out this overview of the summer in Sergeant Bluff:
Oregon
Astoria Public Library - Astoria, OR
Astoria Public Library has been undergoing renovation since September of 2024 and is set to reopen fully in October of this year. While renovations are underway, we have been in a temporary location with limited space. As you can imagine, this has created some challenges in running programs, especially larger ones for Summer Reading. Many places in town have either let us use their spaces free of charge or given us a significant discount to be able to still provide these services to the community on a limited budget. Even though we didn't utilize all of the offers because they weren't quite the right fit, it was incredibly heartwarming to witness the outpouring of support from our local businesses and organizations.
Our Summer Reading Kick-Off party took place in the bay area at the Fire Station where they normally keep their firetrucks. They have also been letting us use their meeting room once a week so we can continue to have storytime.
The Astoria Armory was very accommodating so that we could host our larger performers in their large space. While our turnout this year has been about half of what it is normally, we've been so lucky to have such a wonderful community that came together in our time of need to help us continue bringing services to kids!
Harney County Library - Burns, OR
In small rural communities, patnerships are essential for maximizing the impacts of our limited educational programs. This year, the library partnered with both the Kids Club of Harney County, which provides after-school and summer camps for local kids, and the Burns Paiute Tribe's Tu-Wa-Kii Nobi's kids summer reading program, so that both organizations could bring their kiddos to our weekly Level Up at Your Library events.
International Libraries!
Bermuda National Library - Hamilton, Bermuda
The Youth Library offered 36 fun and exciting workshops during the months of July to stimulate the children’s interest in various topics. The workshops included fencing, scavenger hunts, cooking, Veterinarian visit, first aid, S.T.E.A.M. and lots more. The library was decorated by the staff with gaming visuals from board games to video games.
717 ASF Community Library - Adana, Turkey
Our friends at the Incirlik Air Base shared photos from the activities they did with the kids during the Summer Reading Program, like coloring, puzzles, and more.
