SummerQuest - York County Libraries

SummerQuest is York County Libraries’ version of a summer reading program—but it’s so much more! We offer kids and teens (and adults! Click to learn about SummerQuest for those 19+) tons of ways to stay active in mind and body all summer long. We host free, fun activities that keep everyone learning, reading, and physically active from June to August. Each year, the theme and special events change.

SummerQuest 2025: Color Our World

Grab your paintbrushes, palettes, and sketchbooks because this summer is going to be a colorful one! This year, SummerQuest Color Our World is all about reaching your own unique goals.

Do you want to read more? Get involved in the community? Or perhaps you want to be more active and get outdoors. Whatever those goals may be, YOU get to decide how your summer looks!

Key Dates

May 18: Pre-Registration for SummerQuest is available on Beanstack
June 2: First day of SummerQuest & Get Outdoors (GO) York
June 11: Prize pickup begins
June 29: York Revolution’s special baseball game for SummerQuest participants
August 17*: Last day of SummerQuest & GO York; Beanstack Challenge ends
August 23: Last day to pick up prizes at the library

*August 17 is also the last day to log your reading, complete activities, log GO York hike codes, and “spend” your tickets on Ticket Drawings.

Find a Library

Starting May 18: Pre-Register for SummerQuest

View Upcoming Events

How it works

To get started, first you’ll need to register for the SummerQuest Challenge in Beanstack. Log in to an existing account or create a new one (don’t forget to update your information!). You’ll use Beanstack to track your reading, activities, and progress throughout the summer.

Step 1

Log Reading & Complete Activities

As you log reading and activities in Beanstack, you’ll earn virtual badges. With a variety of badges to choose from, your summer can be customized to your goals and interests!

Get started with Beanstack

illustrated graphic of a gift box and a ticket

Step 2

Get Rewards & Earn Tickets

When you earn badges, you’ll receive Rewards and virtual tickets. Tickets can be spent on Ticket Drawings for a chance to win real prizes! The best part is that YOU get to decide where you spend your tickets.

How to use tickets

Step 3

Complete the Challenge

Once you earn any four (4) reading or activity badges, you will “complete” the SummerQuest Challenge. Keep logging to earn more tickets and additional prizes!

Kids & Teens: Join the SummerQuest Challenge!

We invite everyone to join in the summer fun at York County Libraries! See below for more information about participating in SummerQuest, prizes, and more!

Get the App and Join the Challenge

Beanstack is a super-useful, super-easy mobile app (and website) where you participate in Reading Challenges, log your books/reading, complete activities. All SummerQuest participants must have a library card and be registered in Beanstack.

The more you log activities and your reading minutes, the more chances you’ll earn to

Download the mobile app for Apple iOS and Android here.

Returning Beanstack Users: Your accounts remain active from year to year. Using your login information, you can update your account and register for the current year’s SummerQuest program.

More Beanstack Tips

Log Reading & Activities to Earn Rewards

It would not be a summer at the library without reading!

Looking for some good books? Check out these book lists created by York County Libraries’ staff:

The key to earn rewards and drawing prize entries is by logging your reading minutes and completing activities.

When you log reading and activities, you will earn virtual “badges!”

1 Badge Earned = 1 Reward + 1 Ticket

Each badge you get will also give you one Reward and one Ticket.

Rewards are available for pickup at the library (starting June 11, 2025)
Tickets can be spent on Ticket Drawing prizes. Learn more about tickets here.

"Complete" the Challenge

The magic number is FOUR! You only need to earn four reading or activity badges* in Beanstack to “complete” the Challenge.

This means that you can pick and choose which badges you want to work toward. See the next section for more ways you can customize your summer!

*Note: The Registration badge does not count toward your four badges.

Customize Your Summer

There are plenty of things to do during SummerQuest! Whether you hope to read more books, play outside, or find new things to do, York County Libraries are here to support your goals.

Here are just a few ways you can make the summer your own:

Boy And Girl Reading Chapter Books At Glatfelter Library

At the library, it’s no secret we love books and reading! If one of your summer goals is to read more, we’re a great place to start.

With over 500,000 items in our collection and a variety of online resources, we have something for everyone’s interests.

Stay School-Ready

Studies have shown that children lose as much as 30% of the knowledge gained during the school year over summer break (2017, Brookings). The single best way to stay ready for the upcoming school year is by reading over the summer and staying engaged in learning.

There are a variety of programs and presenters travelling around the county this summer, such as:

Plus, special guest appearances from:

View all upcoming events

Within the SummerQuest challenge on Beanstack, you will find a variety of different activities to do! This may include:

Reading or book-themed activities
Library activities and programs
Artistic or hands-on activities
Outdoor activities

Not only are these activities fun to do, but completing them will earn you virtual “badges” – which also earns you prizes and tickets for prize drawings!

Watch a video about Tickets

Calling all Scouts! Earn a special patch for participating in SummerQuest:

Complete the SummerQuest Reading Challenge by earning any four reading or activity badges
Attend 6+ SummerQuest events at any of our libraries
Complete 10+ GO York! Hikes

Log your progress on Beanstack. When you finish, pick up your patch at any YCL location.

Get Outdoors (GO) York!

GO York is a challenge facilitated by our partner, Wellspan Health. 30 wooden posts are hidden in York County parks every summer. Using an annual GO York guidebook, follow the steps to locate the posts and unveil the “rubbing” of the sketch and a secret code.

Log the secret code into the Beanstack app to earn entries for GO York grand prize drawings! Join the GO York! Facebook group for updates and info.

Click the video to watch a short tutorial on logging your GO York hikes in Beanstack. Read more about using Beanstack for GO York here.

Visit GOYork.org

SummerQuest isn’t only for children!

Most people have fond memories of their library’s summer reading programs. We say those memories don’t need to stay in the past! We welcome adults 19+ to join our SummerQuest challenge in the Beanstack Tracker App, participate in the very popular GO York! Hikes with others around the county, and perhaps even try a fun activity from your local library. Some libraries do Book Bingo during the summer, or offer a concert series on the lawn. Others hold special events on important topics, have community gatherings to create and craft, or welcome you to our all-ages programs. If you think you can’t have fun during the summer just because you’re a grown-up, think again!

If your business is interested in becoming a sponsor of SummerQuest, contact us!

Thank you to our supporters!

Annually, many local businesses offer financial support to York County Libraries’ SummerQuest. They help us encourage kids to keep reading and to stay active over the summer months.