With branches all over the city, from Albany Park to Wrightwood—Ashburn, the Chicago Public Library is a helpful resource and community space for Chicago’s 2.6 million residents. And that very much includes book-loving adults, who will benefit from the institution's newly launched summer reading programs, which boasts worthy incentives beyond, you know, the actual reading and learning part.
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Grownups who are looking for a summertime challenge can compete for free prizes, like a Chicago Public Library baseball hat, as well as bragging rights for this summer’s reading program, part of the library’s “Growing Minds, Going Green” initiative, through which you can more deeply discover the natural world via curated reading recommendations and immersive community-based activities. Yep, that’s right, a reading contest for adults—kiddos take notes.
Pop in one of the 88 CPL branches, whichever is closer and more convenient to you, and grab a log to chart your progress. Adults who finish at least six of the ten highlighted activities—like reading books in the natural sciences and eco-lit genres or participating in
one of the library’s special summer programs like flower arranging or gardening—will earn a coveted limited-edition Chicago Public Library cap and be entered into a raffle.
The warm-weather initiative is part of the Summer at CPL campaign, a celebration of reading, learning and creativity, which includes more than 2,000 free events and activities for children, teenagers, and adults across the entire library system through Sunday, August 3.
“Summer at CPL is how we bring the city together—through reading, play, exploration and access,” said Library Commissioner Chris Brown in an official release. “From early learners to lifelong learners, we’re creating experiences that grow imagination and build
community all summer long.” To learn about other summer happenings at the library, click here.