DeKalb – Summer Reading 2023 has ended, and the DeKalb Public Library would like to applaud all the children, teens, and adults who participated. This program gives patrons of all ages an incentive to continue reading. Numbers were, as always, encouraging!
We had 190 adults register this Summer, up 24.3% from last year. 1,983 books were read, an increase of about 50% from last year, and 397 read logs were completed, an increase of about 40% from last year.
We had 174 teens and 636 children register for summer reading, with nearly two thirds completing logs. Children and teen summer readers logged a whopping 17,099 hours and 17 minutes of reading this summer, increasing their reading fluency and earning a variety of reading rewards.
Congratulations to Av’a Shields and Jordyn Jackson, the DeKalb Public Library’s Summer Reading Grand Prize winners who each won a $250 gift card donated by local business There’s Fun In Store.

Congratulations also to Quinn Spengler, who won the Pokémon Shining Legends Darkrai figure collection and trading card game.
Special thanks to local business There’s Fun In Store for donating over $5,000 in reading incentives and prizes which included a Mystery Box at the 10-hour level for all children and teens and a $25 gift card to every child and teen who read for 25 hours. We would also like to thank the Friends of the DeKalb Public Library, who donated over $5,000 towards large programs enjoyed by area residents.
Thank you to our other wonderful sponsors: the DeKalb Park District, Barb City Bagels, the Confectionary, Fargo Indoor Skatepark, Graham Crackers Comics, Kuiper’s Family Farm, Mardi Gras Lanes, Portillo’s, Arby’s, Chili’s, McDonalds, NIU Huskies, Papa John’s, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Resource Bank, Robin’s Nest Bookshoppe, Texas Roadhouse, Vinny’s Pizza, YMCA, 4-C, Bared-wire Betties, BASICS DeKalb County, DAR General John Stark Chapter, DuPage Children’s Museum, and the Kane County Cougars. Studies have shown that those who participate in summer reading programs have higher reading scores when they return to school. The DeKalb Public Library is very appreciative of the local support of literacy in our community.
The DeKalb Public Library is open seven days a week. Visit www.dkpl.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter for other library news and events.
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