From the Director’s Desk – May 2026

Summer is almost here and at Citrus Libraries that means the return of our annual Summer Reading Program! Staff are ready to dig into summer and welcome everyone to the library as we Unearth a Story. Citrus Libraries is here to make reading fun and easy for readers of all ages, with a variety of reading challenges, special programs, and rewards to celebrate books and reading throughout the summer.

Last summer was the first year we challenged participants to meet a community goal of 500,000 minutes – and they knocked it out of the park! This year, we’re raising the bar and setting a summer community goal of 600,000 minutes! Readers of all ages can help us build up minutes throughout the summer by logging with our online reading tracker, Beanstack. Whether you’re staying up late to finish a story you just can’t put down, spending an afternoon reading as a family, reading around the bases with Reading with the Rays, or taking on the challenge of 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten there is truly something for every reader.

Reading is an important way to extend learning and growth and is especially important for kids over the summer while not in school. Just 20 minutes a day helps keep kids learning and ready for the next school year. In addition to reading challenges, programming will run throughout the summer starting June 1 and will be a filled with exciting weekly activities to keep families engaged at every branch all summer long.

We’re kicking off the celebration on Saturday, May 30 at the Central Ridge Library in Beverly Hills from 9-12 with our Summer Reading Kickoff. Join library staff and volunteers to learn about all the exciting things we have planned for summer at the library while enjoying a morning filled with activities and special guests from around the community.

We can’t wait to see you as we prepare to unearth unforgettable memories together this summer!

– Adam Chang, Library Services Director