Summer is here and the heat is on. There’s never been a better time to stay home, crank up the A/C, and catch up on your reading. If you need a little extra motivation to tackle your towering to-read stack, the Rio Salado library is hosting a Summer Reading Program! Track your progress, take on a reading challenge, and “surf the stacks” with your fellow Rio bookworms this summer.
Start off your summer of reading with this breakdown of all the things you need to know about Rio’s summer reading program.
How Long is the Reading Program?
The program runs from May 18 through Aug. 14, 2026. Mystery prizes will be awarded to the first 100 people who sign up. To receive your prize, visit the front desk of the library (located on the fifth floor of the Rio tower at 2323 W. 14th Street in Tempe) anytime after May 11 and let the staff know you’ve signed up for summer reading.
What Can I Count for the Program?
The definition of a “book” for this challenge is pretty wide-ranging. Books, ebooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, magazines, newspapers, cookbooks, and even textbooks all count.
How Do I Track and Submit My Progress?
You can track your reading using an online reading log or by picking up a paper tracker from the front desk of the Rio library. When you’re ready to send in your summer reading stats, email your log results to [email protected] by Aug. 14. Make sure you include either your online tracker info or the paper tracker’s numbers.
What are the Prizes?
Prizes for the reading program include a T-shirt, trophy, and/or pizza. There are different categories that award one to three of these prizes. These categories include Most Pages Read, Most Genres, Most Books With A Cat In It, and others. You can see a full list of the prize categories on the Rio Salado Library website.
What Else Can I Do as Part of the Program?
If you’d like to kick your reading up a notch and do some extra fun stuff, try one of these (optional) out:
- Bingo Reading Challenge. Take part in a reading challenge and fill out this bingo card to win some extra prizes.
- Reading Group. Get social and share your favorite reads with other Rio readers in our Goodreads Rio Summer Reading group.
- Staff Recommendations. Want to read but don’t know where to start? Check out some of these great recommendations from our Rio library staff.
Where Can I Get Free Books?
You can check out popular books FOR FREE at any Maricopa Community Colleges library or visit your local public library for a wide selection of things to read! Also check out the convenient library app to browse Rio's collection on your phone, or Libby, if you have a public library card.
Article by Austin Brietta