Below are some frequently asked questions regarding the Round Rock Public Library's annual Summer Reading Program.

General Questions

Q: What are the themes this year?
A:  Birth to age 12 – “Dig into Reading”
Teens 12-17 – “Beneath the Surface”

Q: What's new for 2013?
A: This year, the children's program emphasizes the habit of reading regularly. Our incentives reflect this emphasis by rewarding readers for reading at least 20 minutes in a day. Readers earn incentives for every 10 days they read. We are also increasing the number of book-related incentives.

We know some of our readers love to track their minutes, and we hope those readers will continue to set high goals and let us know so we can celebrate their acheivements with them. They may also want to take the Star Reader Challenge, a two-part set of goals that encourage discovery-oriented reading behaviors. Star Readers will earn extra "Book Bucks" and also be recognized in a special library display.

Teen readers will count their time and earn prizes for every 5 hours of reading.

Q:  Who can participate in the Summer Reading Program?
A:  Any child or teen can join the program by picking up a reading log from the Summer Reading table starting June 5. 

The library offers incentives to every reader who completes the first goal (10 days of reading for children, or 5 hours of reading for teens). To earn prizes beyond the first goal, participants must have a Round Rock Public Library Card (a resident card, a paid non-resident card, or a temporary card), and that card must be clear of fines.

Q: When can readers start to count their reading?
A: Readers may start counting on June 5 even if they have not picked up their logs.

Q: Does listening to audiobooks count?
A: Yes.

Q: When can kids get the free RRISD cards?
A: Students who live outside Round Rock's city limits but who are enrolled or about to enroll in a Round Rock Independent School District school may receive a free library card good for May 15 – August 15. This card allows them to use library materials all summer, but it does not allow students to earn Summer Reading Program incentives beyond the first goal (10 days of reading for children, or 5 hours of reading for teens).

To receive an RRISD card, a student's legal guardian must present proof of address at one of the library's service desks.

Q: Can 5 year olds get the RRISD cards?
A: Yes.

Q: When is the End-of-Summer Reading finale?
A: We will mark the last day of Summer Reading--Aug. 5--with performances by Lucas Miller at 3:30 and 7 p.m.

Children's Reading Program (Birth to 12)

Q: How do we use the new children's logs?
A: Readers will use a single log all summer long. Each day they read (or listen to a reader) at least 20 minutes, they may mark a circle. When 10 circles are marked, readers may bring their logs to the library to receive an incentive.

Readers may mark the circle by coloring it, or by writing the date in it--whichever method works best for them.

Because we limit our advanced prizes to members of the Round Rock Public Library, we require readers to verify their membership status before they receive the 20-day prize. To verify your status, simply present your log at a library service desk any time before you hope to receive the 20-day prize.

Q:  When can readers collect their incentives?  
A:  Readers may receive incentives whenever they complete 10 days of reading. To receive incentives, readers should bring their marked log to the library's Summer Reading Desk.

The first incentives will be available June 14, which is the tenth day of our Summer Reading Program. 

No incentives will be given after the program ends Aug. 5. 

Q: How do readers verify that they may receive incentives beyond the 10-day prize?
A: Readers should take their logs to one of the library service desks any time before they hope to receive their 20-day prize. A member of the circulation staff will mark the log to indicate that the reader is covered by a Round Rock Libary Card with no outstanding fines. 

Q: Do participants need to pay all their late fines before they earn the 20-day prize?
A: Yes.

Q:  Does coming to the Library's storytimes count?
A:  Yes, listening to someone read counts towards each day's 20-minute goal.

Teen Reading Program

Q: Which program is right for 12-year-olds?
A: Twelve-year-olds may choose the reading program that appeals to them the most. If they  participate in the children's program, they will count days, and receive children's prizes; if they participate in the teen program, they will count minutes, and receive teen prizes. They may only participate in one of the programs, not both.

Q: How do we use the new teen logs?
A: Readers will record their minutes of reading (or listening to reading) on a single log all summer long. Eligible readers will receive incentives for every five hours of reading they complete.

Because we limit our advanced prizes to members of the Round Rock Public Library, we require readers to verify their membership status before they receive the 10-hour prize. To verify your status, simply present your log at a library service desk any time before you hope to receive the 10-hour prize.

Q: When can readers collect their incentives?
A: Readers may receive incentives whenever they complete 5 hours. The first day to turn in teen logs is June 12. To receive incentives, readers should bring their marked log to the library's Summer Reading Desk.

No incentives will be given after the program ends Aug. 5.

Q: How do readers verify that they may receive incentives beyond the 5-hour goal?
A: Readers should take their logs to one of the library service desks any time before they hope to receive their 10-hour prize. A member of the circulation staff will mark the log to indicate that the reader is covered by a Round Rock Libary Card with no outstanding fines.

Q: Do participants need to pay all their late fines before they earn the 10-hour prize?
A: Yes.

Storytimes and Special Performances

Q: Can people attend the storytimes and special programs without having a library card?
A: Yes.

Q: Are there limits to the number of people who can attend the library's programs?
A: Yes. All programs in the library's meeting rooms must abide by fire code regulations.

Some of our special performances draw very large crowds; we recommend guests arrive up to 30 minutes early for those programs. When possible, we try to offer second performances for our most popular shows; we have found that the second performances usually have smaller crowds, increasing the odds that all guests will be admitted.