Salt Lake City Public Library launches free summer reading challenge with prizes through Aug. 2

Quinn McQueen, director of marketing and communications for the Salt Lake City Public Library, said the library's summer reading challenge "runs from now until August 2" and is open to readers of all ages.

The program uses two trackers: one for pre-readers aimed at caregivers of babies and toddlers, and another for all other ages including children and adults. "If you read for 20 minutes a day or do some of the suggested activities," McQueen said, participants reach milestone prizes for hitting halfway and completion marks.

McQueen said registration is available at all Salt Lake City Public Library locations and reiterated that "everything we do here at the library is gonna be free." Participants receive a sign-up prize when they register and can enter for larger "bonus grand prizes" after completing the challenge. McQueen listed partner donations including signed hockey sticks from the Utah Mammoths (formerly the Utah Hockey Club) and signed photos and basketballs from the Utah Jazz as examples of those grand prizes.

The library intends the pre-reader tracker to help caregivers "get them reading, playing, singing" to build early literacy habits, McQueen said. Adults and older children can use the all-ages tracker; staff encourage daily reading or suggested activities rather than strict quotas.

The interview closed with McQueen inviting the public to "come on in and participate," calling the challenge a "really fun way to connect and explore this summer." The program runs through Aug. 2; registration and physical trackers are available at Salt Lake City Public Library branches.