TOWSON, MD—The Baltimore County Public Library has announced the launch of the 2022 Summer Reading Challenge.

This year’s theme is “Oceans of Possibilities” and the challenge will run from June 21 to August 28, with a kickoff party on Saturday, June 18th. Families are invited to join the event from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the North Point Branch, 1716 Merritt Boulevard in Dundalk. Attendees will be able to enjoy live music, face paintings, giveaways, and get a photo with Baltimore Ravens’ mascot Poe and the Oriole Bird.

Children of all ages can join the challenge and earn points by attending programs, reading books, and completing fun activities. After earning 20 points, children can win a completion prize and will also receive an entry into the grand prizes. Programs include sea creatures, boats, local waterways, and taking care of the planet. The library has partnered with several presenters like the National Aquarium, Eco Adventures, Science Guys of Baltimore, and more. There will also be take-home crafts available in July and August that match the theme.

“The Summer Reading Challenge is a vital library program to encourage children to continue learning during the summer months to prevent the summer slide, which is learning loss from one school year to the next,” said Director of Baltimore County Public Library Sonia Alcántara-Antoine. “The youth of Baltimore County can participate either online, in our 19 branches, or at home with a game board of activities. The different options promote equity in education and level the playing field for all students to participate and achieve success. Of course, the added prizes and incentives offered makes learning fun. We are looking forward to making a difference in the lives of so many children this summer with our learning activities along with serving meals in several of our branches.”

There are two ways to participate. Either register online at Beanstack, which will track activity online, or families can complete a paper game board that they can download in English or Spanish, pick up at any of our 19 branches, or at the SRC kickoff party.

Along with the SRC, the library is also offering summer meals for children 18 and younger. Partnering with Good Harvest, this program will run Mondays through Fridays from Tuesday, June 21 through August 23. A list of locations is available online here. The child will need to be present to receive a meal, and they must eat onsite. It is important to note that the program cannot accommodate groups such as camps, childcare centers, etc.

This year’s summer reading program is made possible with funding from Rosedale Federal, The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland, and Atlantic Financial Federal Credit Union with support from Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library and its donors.

Additional information on the Oceans of Possibilities Summer Reading Challenge can be found here.