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Pleasanton Library says summer reading drew about 3,800 sign-ups, added 3,833 free books
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Summary
Library staff reported that the 2025 summer reading program had roughly 3,800 registrations, credited Friends of the Library support for prizes and free books, and said the program encouraged reading despite a small survey sample; staff proposed survey changes and partnership expansion.
Pleasanton library staff told the Library Commission on Dec. 4 that the library’s 2025 summer reading program, themed “Level Up at Your Library,” produced broader participation and community partnerships that staff say boosted engagement.
The presentation said registrations climbed to about 3,800 this year, compared with roughly 3,700 the year before, and that “it was exactly 1,000 adults that signed up,” a figure staff described as verified after reviewing the registration data. Staff also said the Friends of the Library funded most prizes and free books and that the program added 3,833 books to home libraries over the summer.
“We had a really great engagement,” the library staff member said, citing off-site events (including two visits by the library mascot, Zippy), a trivia night and a partnership with PUSD kids club sites that helped distribute reading logs and boxes of books to students who otherwise could not reach the facility.
Staff summarized survey results but cautioned the dataset was small (under 20 respondents): about 85% of respondents reported satisfaction (combined “strongly agree” and “agree”), and 67% said the program encouraged them or their family to read more over the summer. Because the sample was limited, staff proposed several changes — trimming survey length, using QR codes and paper options for drop‑in programs and adding incentives such as raffle tickets to boost response rates.
Commissioners also questioned how Friends-funded raffle coupons are tracked at book sales. Staff said Friends provide estimates and that staff would work with the Friends to formalize coupon tracking so returned coupons can serve as a more reliable completion metric.
Staff reported volunteer participation had shifted: one slide noted fewer volunteers overall, but commissioners asked about specific counts and cited a figure of 54 volunteers for some program functions. Staff said those figures come from different tracking sources and offered to follow up with clarified numbers.
Staff credited the Friends of the Library and partners for underwriting presenters and prizes and said the city’s partial federal funding through the iRead program helped supply packets and resources for library programming. Looking ahead, staff said the summer reading team will review prize incentives, program days and times, and survey distribution to improve reach and measurement.
The commission received the report and had no public speaker cards; staff said the program will return as part of the program plan for additional commissioner review.
