Summer Quest - Bucks County Free Library

Beginning Saturday, June 20, play, learn, and explore with the library for a summer full of fun!

Visit Beanstack to track your reading.

This summer, our goal is to read 1,000,000 minutes! Our new online reading site, Beanstack, is a fun way to track the minutes you read and help us reach that goal. You can also use Beanstack to mark off challenges you’ve completed to earn six new, limited edition Summer Quest badges! Exploring Beanstack pays off too – you may even find ways to earn secret badges! We have developed great Beanstack reading challenges for children, teens, and adults.

What is Beanstack?

Beanstack is an easy-to-use, online program that will help you track minutes read, earn badges, and write book reviews! You’ll also be able to check out the schedule of upcoming performances. Readers of all ages can use Beanstack. Visit the Summer Quest Challenges here: buckscounty.beanstack.org/

You will need to create a Beanstack account to access the challenges. You will be asked for your name, email, preferred branch and library card or e-card number. Once an account is created you can add additional reader accounts for other family members wishing to participate. If you do not have a library card, you can apply online.

If you are a patron of a district member library, please check their website for information on Beanstack. On our locations page, scroll down to view the list of district member libraries; the library’s image will bring you to their website.

The Beanstack Tracker app is also available on iOS and Android.

Badges

As in past years, kids, teens, and adults can earn badges by completing challenges that encourage users to Explore, Write, and Create.

This year, you can complete these challenges entirely at home! You can complete certain challenges using easy-to-grab activity bags that we invite you to pick up at any of our branches once we begin Curbside Pickup and while supplies last. When Curbside Pickup starts on June 22, you can pull up to a designated curbside parking spot and call the library to request an activity bag. These activities are for a variety of ages. Parents may need to help their children complete activities.

Once you’ve earned a badge, we’ll give you a cloth patch, which you can pick up in your branch or through curbside pickup.

Our 2020 badges are: Bona Fide Fan, Once Upon a Time, Schooner or Later, Standing Ovation, and Wandering Wordsmith, Wondrous Wilderness. Can you earn them all?

Badge Contest

Help us design a new Badge Squad badge! Our new badge will be focusing on diversity, and will have challenges designed to help kids make the world a better place. Download the PDF below, draw your badge design, list your ideas for challenges, and let us know what you think we should call it. This contest is open to children 0-18. All entries are due by Saturday, August 15, 2020. Please follow directions on the PDF to submit your design.

Badge Design Template PDF

Performers

This year we will have a wide spectrum of weekly entertainers who will perform virtually. Our audience will be able to watch as we host live performances from Ran’D Shine, Mad Science, Dinoman, a BMX bike show, and more. A full schedule of events will be posted on our website, Beanstack, and social media.

There will be a Summer Quest Kick Off performance by Magician Ari Paul Felber on Saturday, June 20, at 10am.

All programs will be broadcast live at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, with the exception of our end-of-summer performance, the Trinidad Steel Drum Band, who will perform on Saturday, August 1, at 3:30 PM. Please check our calendar for links to the events.

Quick Bite Videos

New this year! Your favorite Children’s Services staff members will be offering live Quick Bite Videos. Some of these will tie into badge challenges, whereas others will run the gamut from hula hoop tricks, to sign language tips, to origami ideas, and more. Videos will be posted on our Facebook page: facebook.com/pg/bucksctylib/videos