Teen Programs

Beanstack is a website and mobile app that allows you to:

• Register for Summer Reading from home
• Receive online badges for each part of the challenge that you complete
• Automatically be entered in weekly draws, rather than filling out ballots
• Keep track of all family members’ progress and rewards on one account.
• Scan the ISBN barcode of each book you read to add it to your log
• Receive weekly book recommendation emails.
• Write book reviews of the books you read.
• Explore lists of recommended book and create a “wish list” of things you’d like to read in the future.

If you have any questions, please contact any of our library branches, and staff will be happy to assist you! 

If you don’t have access to the internet, call any GPL branch and register over the phone:

Keswick Branch 905-476-5762

Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branch 905-722-5702

Pefferlaw Branch 705-437-1514 

To register online, follow these steps:

• Go to our Georgina Public Library Beanstack page.  Click Find a Site. Type Georgina in the search bar. Georgina Public Library (CAN) will appear. Click on Georgina Public Library (CAN).

• Choose your challenge:

Family Read Together Challenge (babies to Grade 2)
Kids Independent Reader Challenge (Grade 3 to Grade 12)

• Parent(s)/caregivers of kids under the age of 13 will be the designated “Account Creator”, meaning the person’s sign-in information will be used to access all accounts registered. If the child is age 13+, the child can sign themselves up as the "Account Creator".

• Account Creator:  Select the green “Register” button. Your first name, last name, year of birth, and a password are required for registration.

• Once the Account Creator selects the “Next” button, Beanstack will ask if you would like to register another child (select ‘yes’ or ‘no’ - *Tip* Multiple readers can be added to the same account, even if they are registered for different programs)

• A green band at the bottom of the screen will alert you that you are successfully registered.

Now you’re ready to start exploring Beanstack!

Are there prizes this year?

Yes!  You’ll get a virtual badge on your Beanstack profile for each activity you complete and each reading goal you reach!  And for each badge you earn, you will automatically be entered into the weekly draw for a Foch Family Real Estate prize pack.  There will be two drawings each week, one for Family Read Together participants and one for the Kids Independent Reader participants.  (Only one weekly prize may be won per child over the length of the program.)  The weekly draws will be made every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. live on Facebook, so be sure to tune in and see if your name is called! 

If you complete all your badges, you’ll get an extra ballot into that week’s draw, and you’ll also receive an exclusive GPL brag tag and chain. 

There is also a school trophy again this year, awarded to the school in Georgina with the most participants who complete all their badges.  

Family Read Together Challenge - For babies to around Grade 2

This challenge is designed for young children who are not yet reading on their own. There are 9 badges to complete:

Registration Badge – you get a badge just for signing up!

Reading Badges – get a badge for every 10 books you read

•  Badge One = 10 books read

•  Badge Two = 20 books read

•  Badge Three = 30 books read

•  Badge Four = 40 books read

Activity Badges – get a badge for completing an activity from each of these categories

•  Make!

•  Explore!

•  Engage!

Completion Badge – you get a badge for finishing! Well done!

Kids Independent Reader Challenge -- For about Grade 2 to Grade 12 

This challenge is designed for older children and teens who are reading on their own, and reading books that take them an hour or more to finish.  (If your child is having trouble reading on their own, please feel free to register them for the Family Read Together Challenge, regardless of their grade.)  There are 9 badges to complete:

Registration Badge – you get a badge just for signing up!

Reading Badges – get a badge for every 5 hours of reading you complete

• Badge One = 5 hours of reading completed

• Badge Two = 10 hours of reading completed

• Badge Three = 15 hours of reading completed

• Badge Four = 20 hours of reading completed 

Activity Badges – get a badge for completing an activity from each of these categories

• Engage!

• Create!

• Explore!

Completion Badge – you get a badge for finishing! Well done!

When you log in to your Beanstack account on a computer, you will see several links at the top of the page:

• The Log: Shows what books (number of books/minutes, title, and author) the Reader has logged.
• Badges: Shows badges when you have completed achievements in a program.
• Book Lists: Curated lists by library staff for your enjoyment. You can find them by clicking on “Recommendations” at the top of your screen. Hopefully they will give you some ideas for reading or encourage you to try something new! You can click on the “Add to Wish List” to save books you wish to read later.
• Wish List: Shows books the Reader would like to read which are added from book lists.
• Reviews: Shows the reviews that you and other readers from our library have written.
• Switch Readers: Allows for easy switching between all Reader’s accounts.
• Personalize: Edit information, email notifications, or deactivate a reader’s account.

At the top of each Reader’s account, there is a green “Add to the Log” button.

• Click on the button when you are ready to log reading or activities. A window will open to allow you to log.
• If an account has more than one Reader, the first question will ask which account you wish to log under. Choose the appropriate Reader’s account. Then choose whether you are logging reading or an activity.
• Write the title and author of the book and decide if you want to write a review.
• Click the green “Log” button and watch for the green band at the bottom of the screen for successful logging.*Make sure you only hit the “Log” button ONCE! The logging window remains open after you log your book. If you are unsure whether it logged successfully, close the window and click on “The Log” button at the top of the screen, under your name.

How to write a book review

Book Reviews can be written by anyone with an account. If you wish to write a review, you must do so when you log the book. When you are adding to the log, write the title and author and then click “Write a Review”. Reviews are seen by everyone using Beanstack, but nothing more than your first name and last initial will be seen (If you wish for your last initial to be removed, your account can be edited to remove your last name).

How to access lists of recommended books

No, only one challenge per person.   

No. You will need a card if you are going to work on the online challenges as some of the activities require using our eResources--not every online activity choice requires a library card.

I don’t want to allow my child online.  Can I do the recording?