Summer Reading’s Dino-mite With the Austin Public Library

Attention, Reader! Austin Public Library’s summer reading program is back. This year’s theme, Unearth a Story – as chosen by the public library nonprofit Collaborative Summer Library Program, or CSLP – offers prehistoric thrills for the modern age with dino-riffic reading rewards. Running until August 8, readers of all ages have the chance to dig up a prize of either a free book (0-17) or a free mug (adults 18 and older) if they meet the 600 minutes of reading time required and earn three activity badges. How do you earn a badge? By attending APL’s amazing summer events, of course.

Librarian and coordinator of APL’s summer initiatives, Alanna Graves says the Unearth a Story theme perfectly – if coincidentally – lines up with the library’s current centennial celebration. “We’re really taking a look at how the library has changed in the last 100 years,” Graves explains, and points to how the library’s become a community resource hub with more people coming in now for passport services, computer usage, printer access, and literacy programs than just borrowing books. By observing what the public requires of the library, Graves says they’ve really homed in on APL’s summer programming. 

“Families come to us and they’re like, ‘Do you have anything in the afternoon at the peak of the heat during the day?’” she says. “They want something fun to do with their kid for an hour, to be in the air conditioning, and get some free books. So we try to offer a wide variety of programs to meet every kid where they’re at.”

There’s plenty to appeal to the saurian-obsessed kid, such as visits from real paleontologist BK Bones where she’ll bring in a giant T. rex skull to give young fossil hounds an idea of these creatures’ size. Not the guardian of a bonehead? APL will also have meetups with the Austin Symphony Orchestra called Tuneful Tales, where kids get to hear picture books read with live orchestral music as well as explore a “musical instrument petting zoo” where Graves says “kids can try out a trumpet or a violin, get their hands on it [and] interact with it.” Teens can also engage in cool crafty programming as well as sample from APL’s big graphic novel collection, a genre which Graves says actually helps them to read “two grade levels higher than where they’re at” and develop SAT vocab. 

But kids aren’t the only ones who get to have fun at the library; adults can look forward to fun, free, and sober socializing opportunities. Graves says she’s most excited for the culinary events on tap, like a tasting series with local cheesemonger Antonelli’s (July 11) or a vintage cake decorating class with SusieCakes (July 9). There are even offerings that fit within the prehistoric program theme, with the Austin Geological Society leading an educational workshop on geodes where adults can crack open and take home their own glittering rock treasure. 

Awareness of the summer reading program, a Best of Austin winner, has increased in recent years, Graves says, which to her is a bit of a recession indicator. “When everything is expensive in the world, we see an uptick in library users,” she explains, “because we’re free, and we don’t even require a library card to participate.” Austinites interested in taking part can stop by their local library branch to grab a physical challenge sheet and catalog color-coded to their age group, or log on to the Beanstack app to digitally track their progress. And yes, audiobooks and graphic novels totally count toward that final reading total. 

“We don’t care what people read,” Graves promises. “I just want people to have a positive experience and read whatever they want for the summer.”

This article appears in June 26 • 2026.