SUMMER FUN & READING CHALLENGE 2026

Summer Fun & Reading Challenge at the New Orleans Public Library

How to Participate:

1. There are three ways to sign up: Visit your neighborhood Library, register online at nolalibrary.beanstack.org, or use the app (instructions below). No matter how you register, don’t forget to pick up your registration prize, starting June 1, at your neighborhood Library. 

2. Read, complete activities, and log your progress either online, in-app, or on paper. All reading counts: books, audiobooks, being read to, etc.

Download on the App Store.
Get it on Google Play.

3. Complete blackout bingo – read 800 minutes and complete four activities (one from each list) – then visit your Library for the completion prize, while supplies last. The final day to complete the competition is August 14.

Download Bingo Card and Reading Tracker

Download the New Orleans Public Library's 2026 Summer Fun and Reading Challenge tracker.
Download the New Orleans Public Library's 2026 Summer Fun and Reading Challenge tracker.

Descargue su Cartón del Bingo y Registro de Lectura

Feeling Snacky?

We’re offering free snacks for youth age 18 and under, courtesy of Second Harvest Food Bank. Snacks are available Monday – Thursday, 3pm – 4pm at the following libraries: Central City, Mid-City, Rosa F. Keller, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

*June 1 – 4, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library’s snack hours are 1pm – 2pm.

Summer Events at the Library

Don’t miss the Library’s free summer programs for every age, from children to adults. From The Magical Poodles Show to drumming and beekeeping, we are especially delighted to host a full lineup of workshops and performers for kids, tweens, and teens.

Majek Fingers teaches an Afro-Caribbean drumming workshop for kids.
Dogs and their handler perform in SUMMER FUN program The Magical Poodles Show.
Two performers in the Crescent Circus Magic Show.
Mudlark Puppet Workshop performs at the New Orleans Public Library.
Decorate your hand with Henna at the Art of Henna / Mehndi By Mehwish event.
Urban beekeeper Carl Harrison holds up part of the hive with honeycomb and bees on it.
A dog leaps through a hoop in SUMMER FUN program The Magical Poodles Show.
Majek Fingers teaches an Afro-Caribbean drumming workshop for kids.
Members gather in the New Orleans Public Library's Teen Tech Center.
A person holds out their hands during the process of applying henna.
Two puppets from Mudlark workshop shake hands.

Why Participate in the Summer Fun & Reading Challenge?

Libraries across the country host summer reading programs to encourage reading as a lifelong habit, maintain reading skills that children and teens have achieved throughout the school year, and increase interest in libraries. Also, it’s just plain fun.

Beanstack App Instructions

Click image to enlarge. Click image to enlarge for visual instructions on how to use the Beanstack App.
Summer Fun & Reading Challenge at the New Orleans Public Library

Summer Fun & Reading Challenge 2026 Completion Prize 

All children, teens, and adults that complete all nine squares of their blackout bingo cards will win a limited-edition tote bag by local artist Lionel Milton.

A blue tote bag with art by Lionel Milton is the prize for completing the 2026 Summer Fun and Reading Challenge.

Lionel Milton is a renowned visual artist from New Orleans. His vibrant and energetic artwork reflects the city’s rich cultural tapestry. His creations span various mediums, including murals, canvases, and commercial projects, and have garnered international recognition among collectors and corporations alike. Lionel’s inspiration for this commemorative tote bag was memories of reading with his grandma as a kid in the lower 9th ward. For more info about Lionel, visit www.lionelmilton.com

Upcoming Events at the Library

Library Foundation of New Orleans
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, Inc.
Raising Cane's Logo