SYCAMORE – Sycamore Library is asking area readers this winter to take part in its seasonal reading challenge titled Warm Up Your Winter.

“It is our goal to just promote literacy when the little people are out of school so that they can continue building those reading skills,” Jill Carter, public relations and marketing for Sycamore Library, said.

The winter reading program started a week before Christmas and runs through early February.

“We like to start it just before school’s about to let out and then we’ll run it through Feb 10.,” Carter said.

Readers or parents of young readers can create a family account on Beanstack – an app Carter said works like a virtual reading log – to win badges and prizes for the books they read during the winter reading challenge. Carter said there are different versions of the winter reading challenge for different age ranges.

“So there’s a youth and teen version and then there’s an adult version because we like to encourage everyone to do their reading, but it’s all on that same app and then all the information is also on our website,” Carter said.

While the Beanstack app is a prominent feature in the library’s winter reading program, those who prefer pen and paper will still be able to print out a paper reading log through Sycamore Library’s website.

“We do have paper still, for those that desire to just track their reading on a paper log, but the Beanstack app makes it pretty easy,” Carter said.

Even those taking care of individuals who are not yet able to read are encouraged to take part in the program.

“We even include the age range we refer to as 0 to, 0 and up because even reading to little ones that aren’t able to read themselves – we count that as your reading too,” Carter said.