Reading Programs & Challenges
Whether you're a young reader exploring new worlds or an adult seeking literary enrichment, VBPL fosters a love for books while encouraging community participation and personal growth.
Reading Programs & Challenges
Hampton Roads NEA Big Read Program
Oct. 1, 2024, through May 30, 2025
As the 2024-25 recipients of the NEA Big Read grant, our common read is Rebekah Taussig’s powerful memoir Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body, a profound exploration of disability, identity, and resilience, that offers a poignant and insightful perspective on navigating the world as a person with a disability. It also allows us to explore the theme of “Health Equity: Where We Live.” Under this theme, all programming will highlight the critical intersections between health and community well-being. Through a series of events, discussions, and activities, we aim to explore how the environments we live in influence our health outcomes and what we can do as a community to promote equitable health opportunities for all. To participate, you can find copies of Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig at your local library.
- Oct. 1, 2024 - 6 p.m. Kick Off Event at ODU
- Nov. 18, 2024 – 10:30 a.m. to noon – Virtual Book Discussion
- March 25, 2025 – 6 to 7 p.m. – Book Discussion
- April 3, 2025 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Health Equity Fair
NEA Big Read
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read is a national initiative that aims to broaden our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Managed by Arts Midwest, this program provides grants to support dynamic community reading programs, each designed around a single book selection. By bringing people together through literature, the NEA Big Read fosters meaningful conversations and a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives.
Battle of the Books: Adult Edition
In 2025 VBPL will offer its inaugural Battle of the Books competition for adults. Read great books and have fun competing with teammates for the chance to win prizes.
Annual Reading Challenge
Choose your own adventure with three reading goals to pick from! Challenge yourself to read 12, 24, or 52 books and receive a “One More Chapter” camping mug, exclusive reading lists, and recommendations from library staff throughout the year. Complete 12 optional reading prompts for an extra digital badge.
Printable logs are also available to track reading.
A Reading Community for Teens (Grades 6-12)
Join now to meet other teens and enjoy cool extras like special reading lists, fun prizes, and perks all year long, including VIP access to VBPL's big teen events. You can set a goal to read 0, 6, 12, or 24 books! If you choose the zero book option, you can still join TRS events and get a journal for signing up, but you won’t get a completion prize. Everyone who signs up gets a journal, and if you reach your reading goal, you’ll earn a special TRS prize. You can also complete fun activities each quarter to earn digital badges and chances to win more prizes!
Summer Learning Adventure
The Summer Learning Adventure will focus on helping children develop a love of reading and support continued reading over the summer to combat summer reading loss.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
What is the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge?
This library program encourages all Virginia Beach families and caregivers to read at least 1,000 books with their young children before they enter kindergarten.
Reading to preschool-age children builds vocabulary and helps develop the language skills they need for kindergarten. In as little as 15 minutes a day, families can build the skills for future school and life success.
Who can participate?
Preschool-age children (0-5 years old) with their families/caregivers.
How does 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge work?
- Register or sign in online – Visit your library to pick up a free badge book, while supplies last.
- Track your reading – Log the titles you read with your child and visit the library to receive a sticker each time you read 100 books.
- Read more books – Keep logging until you reach 1,000 books.
- Celebrate! – When you reach 1,000 books, visit the library to receive your book bag and a free book of your choice to keep!
Tips:
Count any books that are read to your child, no matter who reads the books. Children learn through repetition - you can read the same book multiple times. Books read at storytime count, too. Learn about storytimes.
VBPL Reading Programs
Find out more about our annual Battle of the Books (for 5th graders and middle school students) and Summer Reading Challenge (for children ages 0 through grade 8). Even our youngest readers (ages birth to five) can participate in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program (see Kids tab above).
In accordance with the City of Virginia Beach’s Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability Policy, customers may request reasonable accommodation for programs. Requests must be made directly to the branch manager at the time of program registration, but no later than 48 hours before a scheduled event. View our Accessible Resources and Services page for additional information.