By Jeremiah Walter
Krystal Arnold and Hannah Zwahlen grew up using Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) and participating in Summer Adventure, neither of them knowing they would eventually work for the Library and help kids and teens taking part in the District’s annual summer reading program.
"East Library was closest to our house," says Arnold, who is now a senior library associate in the Library’s programming department. “I remember going into the children's area, and it was so exciting to see all the other kids who were also getting their prizes. We were all doing something together.”
“I was homeschooled as a kid, so we were at the Library quite a bit,” recalls Zwahlen, now a senior library associate for Mobile Library Services. “Fountain Library was my home library. We always looked forward to summer reading and getting all the prizes for reading.”
They both still remember prizes they earned, like a skateboard keychain, a stuffed bulldog, and, of course, books.
"I specifically remember one of the book prizes that I got was a Royal Diaries book,” recounts Zwahlen. “Those are journals based on historical women figures. I got one of those, and then I had to read the whole series."
“There was one about secret societies called The Name of this Book Is Secret,” remembers Arnold. “It was very cool and fun. Most of the others blurred together because I was reading so many books at that time in my life.”
It may seem like no surprise that a couple of voracious readers would end up working at the Library, but neither considered a career in libraries until looking for jobs close to home during the COVID-19 pandemic led to them accepting positions with PPLD in 2021.
Soon, they were both on the other side of service desks helping younger versions of themselves — kids and teens who were excited to earn prizes for reading.
“It's really cool to be a part of that,” says Zwahlen. “I know it sounds super cliche, but those kids are our future, you know? Those kids could be me down the road. I did summer reading at Fountain Library when I was growing up, and now I'm here working at the Library and super passionate about what I do. I have great memories from that time, and now I get to do that for other kids.”
"I especially like getting kids their first library cards,” says Arnold. “Somebody did this for me, and now I'm doing it for them. I still have my first library card. [It has] my humongous, ugly block letters of my first name, and then my mom squeezed in my last name in her nice handwriting. I think of that every time I make a card for a little kid.”
Summer Adventure provides more rewards than just the prizes that participants can earn.
“It can influence people's relationship with reading,” explains Arnold. “It is a fun thing to do, not just something that your teachers are making you do.”
“And it’s a great way for us to get our community together. Everyone is reading together, doing activities together. Teens are pitching in. Kids are pitching in. Families are pitching in. I love seeing the impact...."
– Hannah Zwahlen
“It helps with the reading slump (where reading habits wane during school breaks),” adds Zwahlen. “And it’s a great way for us to get our community together. Everyone is reading together, doing activities together. Teens are pitching in. Kids are pitching in. Families are pitching in. I love seeing the impact it has on the younger generation and how that is going to influence them in the future.”
That impact not only affects the lives of their participants, but it also has ripple effects through the generations.
“I have a 1-year-old now,” says Zwahlen. “He participated in his first Summer Adventure last year. So now I'm introducing my kid to what I used to do back in the day. He got his prizes. And he got his book.”
Join Summer Adventure!
June 1 - July 31
