#calvertREADS Summer FAQ’s

It’s SO EASY!

• Go to Beanstack.
• Click “Register an Individual or Family” then “I am registering myself” to register yourself or “I am an adult registering a child” to register a child on their behalf.
• Answer “Have you previously used Beanstack to participate in a reading challenge?” If no, set up your new account! If yes, please try to recover your existing account—use Forgot Your Password feature or contact your local library for assistance.
• You will have the chance to add as many readers to your account as you like, so we recommend registering yourself and then adding the other readers in your household to the same account.  Only one login!
• Complete all required fields then click “Next” and your account is active!
• You will then be given the option to add other adult readers to your account, then any children in your household.  Each reader is awarded a badge (and a ticket toward prizes) just for signing up!

• Of course. You can set up as many profiles as you like, for readers of any age.
• If you’re a parent who reads aloud to more than one kid at a time, you can credit that reading time to multiple children’s accounts with a single click in the Beanstack Tracker App—no need to log it in separately for each of your avid listeners.

• Open the Beanstack webpage.
• Click “Sign In” in the upper righthand corner
• Log into your Beanstack account with email/username and password
• Update your reader’s information if requested
• Check “More Challenges” on each reader’s dashboard to sign up for all available challenges.
• Each reader earns a badge just for signing up (and a ticket toward great prizes)!

• If there is an email address connected to your Beanstack account, simply click “Sign In” in the upper right hand corner of the Beanstack landing page.
• Then click “Forgot Your Password.”
• An email will be sent that will allow you to reset your password.
• If you do not have an email attached to your account, please email getanswers@calvertlibrary.info or call or visit your local library for help resetting.

Tap that little “gear” button in the top right and hit “Edit Account.”

• From your Beanstack home page, click “Log Reading and Activities” in the upper left hand corner of the screen.
• From the drop down, choose the reader whose log you would like to add to or choose all readers to log for everyone on your account.
• Click “Log Minutes” under “What do you want to log?”
• The date will automatically be selected as the current date. Click on the calendar if you would like to log for a different date.
• Add “Time Spent Reading” in hours/minutes. Title, Author and Adding a Review are optional but may be completed.
• When done, click “Log.”
• You may also use a timer to let Beanstack time your reading for you! Click “Start Timer” then “Start Reading.” When you click “I’m Done Reading,” your time will automatically be added. Just click Log to complete.
• Earn more badges and tickets the more time you read!

Activities can be completed to earn badges and tickets throughout the summer!
• To complete an activity, click “Log Reading and Activities” in the upper left hand corner of the Beanstack home page.
• Choose the reader who is completing the activity (or choose “all readers” if everyone completed the activity together!).
• Under “What do you want to log?” click “Complete an Activity.”
• Displayed you will see all the activity badges that are available to earn in the program.
• Click each badge to see the activities you can do—complete two activities to earn each badge!

Whenever you add to your reading log, you have the opportunity to add a review!

• Scroll to the bottom of the page and use the down arrow to change “Would you like to include a review?” to “Yes.”
• When the “Write a Review” window opens, select the reader’s profile who will be completing the review.
• Add the Book Title, Author and your comments (with or without Emoticons!) then click “Save.”
• Add a review anytime by clicking “Add a Review” at the top of your home page.
  • You may choose to Write a Review or Post a Picture Review from this tab.
  • You are also given the opportunity to add the book to your log from this page if you have not already done so.
  • For Picture Reviews—be creative! Draw a picture, make something out of clay, Legos or origami or even film a short video about your book. Select the Reader’s Profile (who is adding the review) and add a Picture Review name. Add the Book Title and Author and then upload your photo or video file and click “Save.” .” Please note that photos cannot be rotated or edited once they have been uploaded.

• Tickets are earned by logging minutes, completing activities and writing reviews—one ticket for each badge that you complete!
• Earn your first ticket just by registering for #calvertREADS!
• You can enter right away or save your tickets and distribute them to drawings any time before the closing date.

• Every time you earn a badge, you will be given the opportunity to distribute the tickets you have been rewarded to a drawing of your choice.
• Click “Enter a Drawing” from the pop-up window to view your total number of earned tickets and all the drawings that you may enter!
• You can add tickets to a drawing anytime by clicking on the Ticket Drawings tab on your home page.
• Once in Ticket Drawings, you can view your total number of available tickets at the top of the page.
• Scroll down to see all the drawings you may enter.
• Please note—drawings close at different times throughout the course of the summer. Check the date at the top of the drawing title for its closing date. No tickets can be added after 11:59pm on that date.
• To enter a drawing, click “Add Tickets” under the drawing description.
• In the pop-up window, click the “-“ or “+” to add or remove tickets from this drawing.
• Click “Enter Ticket” to save the number of tickets you wish to enter.
• You will receive a confirmation of the number of tickets you entered with an update of the number you have left.
• Tickets may be added or subtracted from any drawings at any time up to the closing date.
• Prizes subject to availability. Calvert Library reserves the right to substitute like prizes as necessary.

Fill out form 247-GS in triplicate, then get a self-addressed, stamped envelope… Kidding, kidding. Just click “Edit Reader” (it’s right next to your name) and change your personalized recommendations and email notifications as you wish.

YES! The Beanstack Tracker app is the easiest way to keep track of your reading, activities and reviews! The app can be downloaded from the Apple app store or Google Play for free! Find both on our library app page!

• Once downloaded, click “Let’s Go.”
• How do you want to use Beanstack? Click “School, Library or Bookstore”
• Search for Calvert Library in “Find a Site” window and click on it.
• If you already have a Beanstack account, enter your email/username and password and you are ready to go!
• If you do not yet have a Beanstack account, click “Sign Up!”
• Answer “Have you previously used Beanstack to participate in a reading challenge?” If no, set up your new account! If yes, please try to recover your existing account—use Forgot Your Password feature or contact your local library for assistance.
• Create an account by choosing a username, add your email and create a password then click “Continue.”
• Add your first and last name, click “Continue.”
• Add phone number, if desired and zip code, click “Continue.”
• Select the library branch you most often visit and click “Continue.”
• Then click “Fill Out My Reader Profile.”
• Add your age and click “Continue.”
• Answer “How did you hear about #calvertREADS” then click “Continue.”
• Add a profile picture if you wish and then click “Continue.”
• Select your grade level and school, if applicable and click “Continue.”
• Confirm your library branch with “Continue.”
• Then choose if you would like to receive weekly book recommendations via email by selecting “Send Recommendations” or “No thanks.”
• Share the fun by adding all of the readers in your family by clicking “Add Another Reader” and completing their profiles.
• You are ready to go!

• You can add readers any time!
• Click on your setting by tapping the gear at the top left of the screen.
• Then “Readers.”
• Then“Add a Reader.”
• Complete the reader profile with all required information then they are ready to go!

• Click on the Discover tab to see your current challenges and all other challenges for which you may register.
• To enroll, click on the challenge and then tap “Join Challenge.”
• You earn a badge and ticket just for signing up!

• Click the “+” to open the window for logging.
• Click “Reading” to log your time.
• Choose the reader(s) you want to log for.
• Choose your logging method—you may scan the ISBN of your book using your camera’s phone, search recently logged titles or log without a title
• If you scan the ISBN and the title is in the Beanstack database, the app with autofill the title information. Click “Save” to begin a Reading Session.
• The Beanstack Tracker App will help log your reading time by beginning a timer as you begin your book.
• Click “Start Timer” and your time will begin!
• Pause anytime and click “I’m Done Reading” when completed.
• Click “Done.”
• The app will automatically log your time!
• NOTE—if you finish your book, be sure to toggle “Did you finish the book?” to green so it will count toward any book based challenges you may be participating in.

Alternately, once you enter your title information,

• You can click “Log Reading” and manually enter the amount of time that you spent reading this title.
• NOTE—if you finish your book, be sure to toggle “Did you finish the book?” to green so it will count toward any book based challenges you may be participating in.
• To add reading time without entering title information, open the logging window (click “+”) then select “Reading.”
  • Choose your reader.
  • Click “Log Without a Title.”
  • Edit the date if necessary.
  • Add the number of minutes that you read.
  • Click “Done” to log.

• Click the “+” to open the window for logging.
• Click “Activity” and choose the reader(s) who will be logging a completed activity.
• Choose an Activity Badge to view the activities to be completed.
• Simply click the square next to the activity to mark it as completed.
• Click the back arrow at the top left to return to the list of Activity Badges.
• Close to return to the main screen.

• Click the “+” to open the window for logging.
• Click “Review” and choose the reader who will be entering a review.
• Choose the book title either by scanning the ISBN with your phone’s camera, searching for recently logged items or manually entering the title information.
• If you scan the ISBN and the title is in the Beanstack database, the app will autofill the title information.
• Click “Save” then click “Write Review.”
• Enter your review and click “Post” to save.

• To spend your tickets on a drawing, click on the #calvertREADS Summer challenge
• Click Drawings.
• The number of tickets that you have to spend will appear at the top of the screen.
• Scroll down to see all of the prize options.
• To enter a ticket in a drawing, click on the prize.
• Then click Add Tickets.
• Use the “+” sign to add the number of tickets you would like to place in that drawing.
• Then click Add Tickets.
• Tickets can be added and subtracted at any time, but please note the date of each drawing—prizes will be drawn throughout the summer. Please note—drawings close at different times throughout the course of the summer. Check the date at the top of the drawing title for its closing date. No tickets can be added after 11:59pm on that date.
• Prizes subject to availability. Calvert Library reserves the right to substitute like prizes as necessary.

Be sure to change to each of your reader’s profiles by clicking on the initials on the top right of the screen to switch readers. Tickets must be entered separately for each reader.

• Sure! Just click into your settings—the gear at the top right of the screen then “Account” in the bottom left hand corner then “Account” from the menu.
• Click on the account that you wish to update.
• Type in the new password and then click “Save.”
• You may also update your username, email, contact information and preferred library branch on this page.

Please visit your local branch or contact Calvert Library at 410-535-0291 for any additional questions!

• Share your love of reading with your Friends! Friends can view each other’s reading logs, challenge histories and earned badges, as well as compete on their leaderboards.
• Readers can click the Friends tab at the top of their screen, to add and view friends and leaderboards. Note that account creators under the age of 13 will not be able to add friends or generate a share code.
• Before adding friends or sharing their friend code for the first time, readers will see a privacy notice pop up. This informs them that anyone at their library whom they add as a friend or with whom they share their friend code can see their reading activity, like the titles they log and the badges they earned. If they don’t accept the notice, they will not be able to proceed to add friends or share a friend code. If they accept the privacy notice, they can always remove friends at any time.

• Once the Privacy notice is accepted, each reader can generate a unique 7-character friend code to share with other readers. By clicking “Add Friends” and then selecting “Share Your Friend Code,” readers can copy their friend code, share it via email, Facebook or Twitter, or refresh it to disable their current friend code and generate a new one.
• If a reader would like to enter a friend code that was shared with them, they can select “Enter a Friend Code” under “Add Friends.” This will allow them to enter someone else’s code to add them as a friend.
• Once a friend is added, a friend card will appear with their name on it. Readers can open a friend card by clicking the card itself or clicking the three dots in the upper right hand corner of the card and then selecting “View Friend.” This will open a pop-up window where they can see their friend’s last four earned badges, how much reading they have logged, what challenges they have participated in and what titles they have read.

• Readers can remove friends at any time by clicking the three dots in the upper righthand corner of a friend card and selecting “Remove Friend.” They will be prompted to click “Remove” one more time to be sure they want to move forward with removing that friend.
• Once a reader removes a friend, they will also be removed from that friend’s group of friends and leaderboards as well. If they would like to re-add a friend, they will need to do so by entering or sharing their friend code again.

• Readers can compete with their friends on leaderboards by clicking over to “Leaderboard” near the top of the screen, under the first row of header tabs. They will then see all of their friends ranked by their logged reading.
• Readers can toggle between viewing their leaderboard for the current week (since Monday) or for the past 30 days by changing the selection in the dropdown in the upper left of the leaderboard screen. Only friends who have logged the selected log type during the selected timeframe will appear on the leaderboard.