SMC Library Summer Reading Challenge 2026
Can you read just 10 minutes a day this summer? Of course you can!
The 100 days of summer are almost upon us. Rest, recharge, and live longer* (!?) by reading a book! This summer, join the Library's annual reading challenge by reading at least 10 minutes per day each day of summer. Reading doesn't even have to be a physical book: audiobook, newspapers, magazines, graphic novels, or comic books all count!
At the end of summer, you could have at least 1,000 minutes read– that's 1,000 minutes not doomscrolling. Fill out the completion form by Friday, September 4, and you’ll be entered in the grand prize raffle. Every 10 days earns you one entry into our raffle for awesome library swag, including limited edition SMC Library Carhartt coolers, custom Crafternoon bundles, and more!
Awesome bookmarks to help track your progress are available to pick up at the Library at the Power Plant, so drop by and pick one up now!
Looking for things to read? Dust off your "to be read" pile, or find new titles based on your interests with the Library's subscription to NoveList Plus, a great resource for finding the perfect match for your current mood. Check Library Search (the search box on the Library's homepage) to see if the SMC Library has the book for you to check out, or use our Interlibrary Loan service to request it to be delivered to campus for you free of charge. We still have a nice collection of popular reads in the Library at the Power Plant to browse, and, of course, you can check out your local public libraries, including our neighbor down the road: Moraga Public Library (psst: they also have a used books shop inside to browse, too). You don't need to reside in the county to get a Contra Costa Library card. You just need a valid California ID card. How easy is that?
As you read, color in a window on your bookmark to help track your days, and help Godzilla climb to reach his reading goals.
The challenge runs from May 22 to September 3.
Open to students, staff, faculty, and alumni (if you can pick up your prize on campus).
* According to Bavishi et al. (2016), adult book readers lived, on average, almost two years longer than those who didn't read books.
How to participate
- Sign up using the link below. (Sign up is not required to participate, but a little "accountability" never hurts! And we'll email you at the end of the summer with the raffle entry form.) Sign up at any time in the summer; it's never too late!
- Pick up a tracking bookmark at the Library, or track your days on your own
- Submit your day count on the raffle entry form by September 4