Using Beanstack for the 2024 Reading Challenge
Take our 2024 Reading Challenge!
JCPL’s “Reading Challenge” helps you track how much time you spend reading and the books you have read.
You will be awarded virtual badges at the 100, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and every 500 minutes up to a goal of 10,000 minutes for the year.
Rise to the challenge! Get started by creating a Beanstack account or logging in now!
Why is JCPL running the 2024 Reading Challenge?
- To keep our community reading all year long!
- To help teachers and schools keep up-to-date with their students' reading amount
- Make that reading time count! If students and staff sign up for multiple programs, like Achieve 3000, Explore Summer and the 2024 Reading Challenge, then any reading logged will count for all the programs
How Does My School Get a Monthly Report?
If your school is interested in receiving monthly reports on your reading totals, please email Chris Kolderup, Children’s Services Manager at ckolderup@jcplin.org
Getting Started
- Sign up on our site at https://jcpl.beanstack.org
- Click on Register an Individual or Family
- Everyone is encouraged to participate-- Parents/Guardians, start by registering yourself and filling out the required fields. You will be listed as the "Account Creator".
- Please choose Adult as the Grade Level for those 19+.
- You'll then be prompted to enter information for your spouse/other adults in your family and then children as Readers.
- Register for the 2024 Reading Challenge. Note: if you have children age 5 and under, they will also be eligible to participate in the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program.
- You're now ready to log your reading!
Logging Reading
- Click the Log Reading button in the upper left corner of your screen. Choose Minutes as the logging type. Log your time as often as you want!
- You can also download the "Beanstack Tracker" mobile app and log as you read--you can time a reading session, enter book titles or just log the total minutes you've read that day.
Why are we using Beanstack for Explore Summer?
Beanstack allows you to:· Keep track of each family member's reading logs, activities, and rewards on one account.
· Log reading from home or on the go.
· Read and write book reviews of the books you read!
Getting Started
- Sign up on our site at https://jcpl.beanstack.org
- Click on Register an Individual or Family
- Everyone is encouraged to participate-- Parents/Guardians, start by registering yourself and filling out the required fields. You will be listed as the "Account Creator".
- Please choose Adult as the Grade Level for those 19+.
- You'll then be prompted to enter information for your spouse/other adults in your family and then children as Readers.
- Register for the Explore Summer Challenge. Note: if you have children age 5 and under, they will also be eligible to participate in the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program.
- You're now ready to Explore Summer!
Logging Reading
- Click the Log Reading and Activities button in the upper left corner of your screen. Choose Minutes as the logging type.
- The calendar defaults to the current day but can be changed if you wish to track specific days you/your family read.
- You can log reading time in minutes or hours. Ex: 3h, 20m. You can log for an individual reader or for everyone at the same time--choose All Readers under "Select the Profile".
- You have the option of entering the Title and Author and submitting Book Reviews from here as well. (To submit a Picture Review, use the "Add a Review" button at the top of the screen.)
- You will earn a virtual badge when you reach the 10 or 15 hour level. Keep reading all summer to help us reach our Community Reading Goal and earn additional Eager Reader virtual badges.
Other Beanstack Features
- Badges: shows earned badges when you have completed achievements in a challenge.
- Reviews: shows the peer/age-appropriate reviews that you and other library patrons have written.
- The Log: shows what books (number of books/minutes, title, and author) the Reader has logged.
- Switch Readers: Allows for easy switching between all Reader accounts.
- Personalize: Edit information, email notifications, or deactivate a reader’s account.
BEANSTACK MOBILE APP
The app allows you to enter book titles or scan ISBN barcodes to quickly add them to your Log, time reading sessions, and check off activities as you complete them. Search for “Beanstack Tracker” in the App Store or Google Play to download and start tracking!
Quick video tutorials:
Register for a Program (Challenge)
Log Your Reading -- Be sure to enter your reading time in Minutes to count for Explore Summer or the Reading Challenge, or as Books for 1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Use the Reading Timer
Complete Activities
Troubleshooting the app
Sign up for 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, Achieve 3000 or the 2024 Reading Challenge!
NEW!
Beanstack now features a Friends and Leaderboard option. You can share your reading logs with friends and compete to see who has done the most reading!
Learn how to generate a unique friend code, add friends from within your library community, and compete with friends on your leaderboard using the Beanstack mobile app here or using the web version here
If you have any questions, please contact your library branch and we will be happy to assist you!
