As summer once again comes around to mark the end of the school year, Hampton Bays Public Library’s teen department has been working hard to prepare the annual Summer Reading Program for patrons to participate in over the summer. The program will be starting June 19 and going all the way until August 18. 

The summer reading program consists of several challenges and programs alongside set goals for reading over the summer that patrons can participate in for raffle tickets to earn prizes, including a trio of grand prizes. There will also be a curated list of recommended books for those looking for some new literature this summer. Those who wish to join the program can register using the Library’s Beanstack page starting June first.

This year’s theme for Summer Reading is Myths and Monsters, which department head Alex Giresi shared more information on. “The theme Myths and Monsters is an umbrella term that encompasses themes of mythology and monsters. Mythology has always been popular in YA literature and as for monsters, well, who doesn’t love a spooky summer?”

This summer is Giresi’s first as the Head of the Teen Department. “It’s a lot! I’m very lucky to have a dedicated and helpful staff, as well as patrons, to help guide me through this rather laborious process. I’ve been planning on and off since January but have really kicked it up a notch this past month. It’s been a challenge and overwhelming at times.”

There are many events and programs running in tandem with the summer reading, including a puzzle-filled Artificial Reality Game adventure created by several members of the Teen Department Staff and run by librarian Tyler Kassten. Kassten described what exactly an ARG is and what those looking to play in it can expect. “ARG stands for Alternate Reality Game, what this means thematically is that there is more going on in the world than we know about, and those playing have seen behind the curtain and are solving a mystery. Mechanically it means taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary, a book becomes the clue needed to solve a puzzle. Players can expect a unique storyline created by the staff of the library, based upon the many tabletop RPGs that we run. They can expect a wide variety of puzzles, not just cracking codes, or using tech, but being crafty, creative, and working as a team to solve the challenges and puzzles that we have planned.”

The ARG will begin the first week of July and run through the middle of August. Each week will bring new puzzles and mysteries for players to solve. Tyler also gave some advice for those who’ve never played an ARG before. “The best way to prepare is by solving smaller puzzles. We have some great puzzle games here in the library, like Box One, that are really useful learning tools in the kinds of obstacles and challenges you might face in our or any other sort of ARG. The other way is to consider how something that we taken for granted or as normal could be used for something more; a newsletter isn’t just a list of programs, but maybe those typos were on purpose and hold a larger clue? Finding the weird or out of place in the everyday is one of the key components to being good at solving ARGs.”

The ARG is just one of the many amazing things planned for this summer. Patrons of the library who enjoy table-top roleplaying games can also look forward to an RPG Writing Workshop, a Create Your Own Cryptid to highlight the monsters side of Myths & Monsters, and more of the much beloved after-hours NERF Wars. More information about the library can be found on their website here. the library can also be reached by calling them at 631-728-6241 or by visiting in person at 52 Ponquogue Avenue.