Library staff reported a record summer reading turnout at the Aug. 14 meeting of the Surprise Library Advisory Commission, saying 5,733 people registered this year and that staff reached an early milestone of 4,000 registrations in 10 days.

Library staff said the system recorded 3,121 participants who logged more than 1,000 minutes and that first-time registrations numbered about 3,001. "We reached 4,000 people in 10 days," a staff member said, adding the branches saw a completion rate above the county average.

The significance: the numbers indicate strong public engagement with summer programs and point to an expanded slate of offerings for the next 12 months. Staff announced a new, citywide reading program to run Oct. 1, 2025, through July 4, 2026, tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Under the new program, participants will be asked to log 1,776 minutes — a symbolic target tied to 1776 — and to take part in a "community experience challenge" that steers readers to city sites and partner events.

Program details and outreach: staff described a prize structure and an emphasis on citywide community experiences. Suggested community experiences mentioned by staff include visiting the local aviation memorial and the Veterans Memorial and attending arts and culture programs at regional libraries. The program will include a monthly speaker series at two branch locations starting in October; staff said they were contacting veterans, historians and service organizations to secure presenters.

Staff also described operational supports that helped drive summer success: three paid municipal interns supported branches during the peak season, helping with prize distribution, shelving and program support. Staff said two new hires at Hollyhock branch have increased programming capacity and that staff are scheduling additional joint trainings so branches can run large programs that require moving furniture and using shared spaces.

What’s next: staff said a kickoff for the new 250 program is set for Oct. 4 at Sunrise Regional Library from 10 a.m. to noon. They also indicated more detailed program materials and prize lists will be available at the commission’s next meeting.

The commission did not take formal policy action on the programs at the meeting; staff presented metrics and program plans for commission awareness and endorsement.